ROTTEN TOMATOES: Christopher Walken To Shake It In "Hairspray"

Christopher Walken To Shake It In "Hairspray"

by Jen Yamato | August 17, 2006

What could be better than seeing John Travolta in drag in next year's 60s-era musical, "Hairspray"?? Seeing Christopher Walken hoof his way through the pic, as none other than Wilbur Turnblad, Travolta's on-screen hubby.

While earlier reports named Brit actor Jim Broadbent to play the same role in Adam Shankman's version of John Waters' 1988 comedy musical (which was later turned into a Broadway show), Variety reports that Walken will instead play the father of 1960s plump dancing teenager, Tracy Turnblad.

Also on hand for "Hairspray" Redux will be Travolta (in the gender-bending role of Tracy's mom, Edna), Michelle Pfeiffer (as evil stage mom, Velma von Tussel), and Queen Latifah (as local party queen, Motormouth Maybelle).

The teen roles will be fleshed out by Amanda Bynes (as Tracy's best friend, Penny), Brittany Snow (as mean girl Amber von Tussel), Zac Efron (as love interest Link Larkin) and in her first screen role, newcomer Nicole Blonsky (as Tracy Turnblad).

Original songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman will write some new tracks for the "Hairspray" soundtrack. Shooting is expected to begin next month, and New Line is aiming for a summer 2007 release.

For fans of the classic John Waters 1988 version of "Hairspray," here's a cast comparison:

Tracy Turnblad: Nicole Blonsky vs. Ricki Lake
Edna Turnblad: John Travolta vs. Divine
Wilbur Turnblad: Christopher Walken vs. Jerry Stiller
Motormouth Maybelle: Queen Latifah vs. Ruth Brown
Corny Collins: James Marsden vs. Shawn Thompson
Penny Pingleton: Amanda Bynes vs. Leslie Ann Powers
Link Larkin: Zac Efron vs. Michael St. Gerard
Amber von Tussle: Brittany Snow vs. Colleen Fitzpatrick (AKA Vitamin C)
Velma von Tussle: Michelle Pfeiffer vs. Debbie Harry
Franklin von Tussle: ??? vs. Sonny Bono
Beatnik Cats: ??? vs. Rick Ocasek & Pia Zadora

Related Items

Movie:
Celeb:	Nicole Blonsky
	Zac Efron
	Amanda Bynes
	James Marsden
	John Waters
	Adam Shankman
	Queen Latifah
	Christopher Walken
	John Travolta
	Michelle Pfeiffer
	Divine

(1-7 of 7 posts) | Reply

godinanalcove writes:
on Aug 17 2006 04:39 PM

[b]oh my![/b]
old people dancing! get off the screen, i wonder if we are going to see any hips broken by this. oH my back... my back... i am getting too old for this!

(Reply to this)

Master King Sexington writes:
on Aug 17 2006 06:13 PM

Flash backs to the Fat Boy Slim music video. Oh my god. It's amazing. Look at him fly!!!

(Reply to this)

Crenshaw writes:
on Aug 18 2006 06:45 AM

[b]I say again...[/b]
Man I love movies based on musicals based movies. What's next, Sunset Boulevard? Kiss of the Spider Woman? Spamalot? And now we have a musical movie based on musical theater based on a musical movie. AKA, another unnecessary remake. The Producers was pretty darn good, but I see a slippery slope a-formin'.

(Reply to this)

RoadDogXVIII writes:
on Aug 18 2006 06:49 AM

It looks like a good movie. Lots of good stars (Bynes, Latifah, Travolta, Walken). Let's hope Adam Shankman can hold it together. He might need a hit after "Cheaper by the Dozen." Well, with Queen Latifah, it can't be that bad. Or can it?

(Reply to this)

Mikeal420 writes:
on Aug 18 2006 01:39 PM

[b]ADAM SHANKMAN!!!!!!!!![/b]
This guy is to family films what Uwe Boll is to movies based on video games!! What does he know about John Waters' and his disturbing satire!!! At least he is not directing a remake of "Cry-Baby" or someone would have to bomb the studio. Also, I think I would prefer to see someone like "Jack Black" or a heavier "Jonny Depp" play Tracy's gender-bending mom. I just don't see John Travolta in this role.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Aug 18 2006 03:04 PM

I will see it just for Walken who is by far one of my favorite actors. I think he could be amusing as hell in this. Don't get me wrong I also like Pfeiffer, Travolta, and Marsden, but it's all about Walken in this film.

(Reply to this)

vic40186 writes:
on Aug 18 2006 05:27 PM

In reply to this comment (#842530)
[b]Don't mess with Michelle Pfeiffer!![/b]

(Reply to this)