Some of you might read that kind of headline and groan. And mutter. And say things like “Jeez, with the musicals already!” But then you’d be tragically close-minded. Hear me out. Diablo Cody has been working on a movie adaptation of Francine Pascal‘s Sweet Valley High books — featuring the perfect, blonde, identical twins, Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield — and has just informed us that it will be a musical. My teenage ’90s heart can barely contain itself. Even if I was more of a Babysitters Club girl. (By the way, Diablo Cody, when are you writing a Babysitters Club fem-slash graphic novel for the sheer heck of it?)
Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno, Jennifer’s Body, and the upcoming Evil Dead remake, talked to MTV News last night at the Critic’s Choice Awards — where she was nominated for her screenplay for Young Adult — and divulged the beautifully camp-tastic news that this would be a musical.
…It’s going to blow people’s minds. I haven’t really had the chance to talk about this yet, so it’s exciting.”
Indeed it is. And the musical team working on the songs are Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, who are responsible for the Broadway show Next to Normal, which won Drama Desk Awards, Tony Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In case you weren’t familiar with it, Next to Normal is about a seemingly normal suburban family dealing with grief, drugs, suicide, and mental illness, with some electroshock therapy thrown in. And this is exactly who should be writing the songs for Diablo Cody’s Sweet Valley High movie.
No, really: Sweet Valley High dealt with serious, real-life issues, you guys. Like Liz disobeying her parents and getting on a motorcycle with Todd, only to end up in a coma, and then take on the personality of Jessica. Then that time Jessica wanted to date an older, “more experienced” guy (wink wink nudge nudge say no more). Also: kidnapping, boys, leukemia, boys, plane crashes, rumors, boys, boys, and boys!
This will be the best movie ever. I have to go make a pretend soundtrack mix-tape now.
(MTV News via Flavorwire)
