Chace Crawford Set to Star in Footloose Remake
The Gossip Girl Star Has Officially Signed on for the Paramount Film
For all the screaming teens and tweens who were devastated to hear that Zac Efron had dropped out of the hotly anticipated (the term is used loosely) Footloose remake, fear not. Putting to end weeks of speculation, it was announced on May 20th, 2009 that TV heartthrob Chace Crawford has signed on to star as the bad boy with the irresistible moves who dances his way into the heart of a small town.
Chace Crawford versus Kevin Bacon
Fans of the CW show Gossip Girl know Crawford as the brooding yet sympathetic young socialite, Nate Archibald. The question now is whether or not he has the chops to pull off the high-energy role that turned Kevin Bacon into one of the biggest heartthrobs of the 1980s. Chances are, Crawford at his best won’t even compare with Bacon at his worst (that’s not a dig at Crawford, but a nod to Bacon), but audiences will decide when the film is released in the summer of 2010.
Filming of Gossip Girl
According to numerous reports, filming of Gossip Girl almost prevented Crawford from taking on the role. Overlapping schedules almost stopped the actor from saying yes to the headlining role that will surely catapult his career. Apparently, with the announcement of Crawford’s signing on, things have been worked out.
Remaking a Classic
There’s much debate as to whether or not remaking the classic 1980s film is a good idea, but keep in mind, it’s not an exact remake of the film, but rather the Broadway musical. The same thing was done with much success when a film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray (with Zefron in a lead role) was released in 2007. Whether or not Footloose can repeat, or even surpass the success is yet to be determined.
A Coup for Chace Crawford
Whether making the new version is a good idea or not, it will surely benefit from Crawford’s devoted Gossip Girl following. Whether or not he’s as popular as Efron is best left debated by the under-18 set, but the role is certainly a coup for the young actor. The role will no doubt establish the heartthrob as a full-fledged member of young Hollywood’s elite.
The teen set, and let’s face it, the 20-something set, will be out in full force when the movie opens. Likely the rest of us will be sitting at home, longing for the day when original ideas will once again surface in Hollywood. But if the Footloose remake is as successful as filmmakers are anticipating, it won’t be happening anytime soon.
Current release date is set for June 18, 2010, with Kenny Ortega set to direct.
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