Weeks after
Disney's new animation chiefs scrapped Elton John's musical
Gnomeo & Juliet, the gay pop star has taken
his project to Miramax Films. "I am very excited about
working with Miramax," John said in a statement.
"Gnomeo is an edgy concept, and Miramax is the
perfect home to push the envelope in animation."
The animated
twist on Shakespeare's tragic romance is set in the world of
tacky garden gnomes. It will be produced in Britain, with
lyricist Tim Rice still on board to collaborate with
John on the songs, and Kate Winslet attached to voice
Juliet. Rice and John won an Oscar in 1995 for their
work on the Lion King song "Can You Feel the
Love Tonight."
Gnomeo was in development for several years at
Walt Disney Feature Animation, but was axed last month in
the wake of Disney's purchase of Pixar Animation
Studios. Pixar chiefs John Lasseter and Ed Catmull are
reviewing all Walt Disney Feature Animation legacy
projects while simultaneously developing new animated
titles. Since Miramax is also owned by Disney, the
transfer of the project went fairly smoothly. Miramax
Films chairman Daniel Battsek used to work for Disney's
international arm and has a longstanding relationship with
John's Rocket Pictures banner. Terms of the deal were
not disclosed.
Gnomeo is the first computer-animated film to
be produced by Miramax since Battsek took over from studio
cofounders Bob and Harvey Weinstein in July. Animation
veteran Baker Bloodworth is serving as producer and
guiding production. He previously worked at Disney on
1991's Beauty and the Beast and 2000's
Dinosaur. He was nominated for an Oscar in 2004
for Destino, an animated short initiated by
Salvador Dali and Walt Disney in 1945. (Sheigh Crabtree,
Reuters)