In some of the more bizarre film news of late, it was announced that Ice Cube is to play Fagin in a new re-imagining of Dickens’ classic Oliver Twist.
Produced by Cube himself, alongside musical veteran Marc Platt as well as Jeff Kwantinetz, Disney are looking to update the tale in a modernised musical format. Tommy Kail, director of the critically acclaimed Broadway musical Hamilton, is also involved with the project.
Dickens’ tale is a popular one to adapt, and Disney themselves have even had a hand at it themselves in 1988 with their animated classic Oliver and Company. The most popular musical version of it would have to be Lionel Bart’s Oliver! the film version of which was made in 1968. Compared to that adaptation however, this new film will see the inclusion of different and more relevant musical styles such as hip-hop. This is similar to the recent updated, Jay-Z produced film version of Annie.
Disney is in the middle of a season of many live-action remakes and sequels, one of which is Mary Poppins Returns, also produced by Platt, and starring Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and Emily Blunt.
Watch the musical number ‘Consider Yourself’ from Oliver! below.
