City of Angels Film; Broadway Musicals of Elf and Secondhand Lions in Development

Producers Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne are developing a film version of the Tony Award-winning musical City of Angels, according to Variety. It will be directed by Barry Levinson, and feature a screenplay by Larry Gelbart, who wrote the musical’s original book, and a score by David Zippel and Cy Coleman, which will be augmented by Marc Shaiman, who will serve as music director.

According to the paper, the producers are also developing two Broadway-bound musicals, based on films. Elf, which starred Will Ferrell as a man who thinks he’s one of Santa’s elves, will be directed by Casey Nicholaw, and feature a book by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan, and a score by Chad Begeulin and Matt Sklar; while Secondhand Lions, about a young boy who spends the summer with his eccentric Texas uncles, will be directed by Matt August, and feature a book by Rupert Holmes and a score by Michael Weiner and Alan Zachary.

Among the other projects on the producers’ slate is an animated feature film, High in the Clouds, which will feature an original score by Sir Paul McCartney.