Shakespeare 4 Kidz News

By: Andy Propst · Aug 13, 2009   · London

A 3-D musical version of Shakespeare's Hamlet is the first of six film versions of the Bard's plays that the U.K. theater company Shakespeare 4 Kidz plans to bring to the screen, according to a report in Variety. The other plays that are slated for similar treatment are Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.

British playwright John Godber will direct Hamlet. Alongside the movies, the producers of the series plan a TV show Movie Quest -- A Romeo 4 Juliet, which will be a public search to find two undiscovered young actors to play the lead parts of Romeo and Juliet.
For further information, visit www.shakespeare4kidz.com.

Go to this article on the THEATERMANIA website

I know what you are thinking. High School Musical and all of its sequels were great. But it would have been a lot better with Shakespearian dialogue. Well, guess what? According to Variety, Elsinore Films producer Mark Thomas is gearing up to make Hamlet 3D: The Musical, as inspired by both High School Musical and Harry Potter. This new adaptation of William Shakespeare's famous play will be aimed at teenagers, and will be the first in a series of six films.

All six of these films are based on musical versions created by U.K. theater company Shakespeare 4 Kidz. John Godber will direct the first installment. The next five films include Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest.

With this new Hamlet being in 3D, Thomas hopes to have a ghost that hovers in front of the audience, cannon fire that flies into the auditorium, and an intense sword fight that happens right in the laps of the viewers. Production starts soon, with the first three films shooting back-to-back over the course of eighteen months.

See the original aricle on Movieweb

FROM VARIETY MAGAZINE
by Audrey Ward

Shakespeare's works get musical makeover

LONDON -- Mark Thomas of Elsinore Films is producing a 3-D musical "Hamlet" targeting the "Harry Potter" and "High School Musical" market.

The movie will be the first of six adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, based on musical versions created by U.K. theater company Shakespeare 4 Kidz.

British legit scribe John Godber is directing. Michael Cowan exec produces; he is co-managing director of Brighton-based production company Spice Factory and new sales and distribution house Stealth Media Group.

The other five pics in the series are "Macbeth," "Romeo and Juliet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Twelfth Night" and "The Tempest."

Stealth has global distribution rights to the first three releases, which will be produced back to back over 18 months.

Some 70% of the $10 million budget for the initial three films is being provided by an L.A.-based private equity fund, while the remainder is from European backers. Lensing will take place in Canada and the U.K.

Alongside the movies, Elsinore will shoot TV show "Movie Quest -- A Romeo 4 Juliet," a public search to find two undiscovered young actors to play the lead parts of Romeo and Juliet.

"Hamlet" lends itself to a 3-D treatment. The producers hope to include a ghost that hovers in front of the aud's eyes, cannon fire that flies into the auditorium and a sword fight that appears to happen all around viewers.

Thomas is currently producing "Three Days in Dublin," starring Ray Winstone and Heather Graham.

CLICK HERE to see the original articel on the VARIETY website

3D Hamlet musical launches Shakespeare 4 Kidz Movie Series

S4K’s Hamlet in 3D will be the first of a series of six movie adaptations of the musical versions of the Bard’s plays originally created by the acclaimed UK theatre company Shakespeare 4 Kidz. It will be followed by S4K's Romeo and Juliet and S4K's Macbeth.

The film, which is produced by Mark Thomas and Elsinore Films, will be directed by double BAFTA winner John Godber, who is reuniting his partnership with Thomas, the producer of Godber’s film version of Up ‘n’ Under.