Wanna hear something truly outrageous? “Jem and the Holograms” will be a live-action movie!
And that’s not the only exciting news. The creative team behind the project is seeking help from the fans to make the film. But instead of going to Kickstarter to raise money like the “Veronica Mars” team did, they’re asking instead for ideas—everything from storyline to costumes.
If you want to be in the movie, they welcome you to tell them what you love about the original Jem and to send in your audition video. Any age, any gender, post the videos at http://jemthemovie.com/.
And you can check out the video announcing the upcoming film:
Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions is producing the film, though Blum is primarily associated with horror movies like the “Paranormal Activity” franchise. Scooter Braun Productions is also involved, and my guess it will be primarily associated with the music of the film. A movie about a pink-haired singing sensation has to have music, right? Braun is Justin Bieber’s manager, too, so will the young singer be vying for the male lead of Rio? The director is Jon M. Chu, and he already has experience turning an 80’s cartoon property into a motion picture (“G.I. Joe: Retaliation”), but he’s also directed Justin Bieber movies. There’s that name again.
The script, written by Ryan Landels (who has worked on nothing I’m familiar with), “centers on an orphaned teenage girl who becomes an online recording sensation. She and her sisters embark on a music-driven scavenger hunt — one that sends them on an adventure across Los Angeles in an attempt to unlock a final message left by her father.”
My initial reaction to reading that was that Jerrica Benton (Jems’s alter ego) only had one sister—Kimber. But then I remembered that Aja and Shana were adopted by the Bentons when they were children. So no huge deviation from the original series yet. However, according to the producers, Jem is being reimagined “for a whole new generation with themes of being true to who you are in a multitasking, hyperlinked social media age.”
Does this mean the glamor and glitter, fashion and fame of the 1980’s won’t make it onto the film? The wild clothes really gave “Jem” so much of its personality. The poofy hair, the shoulder pads, the crazy prints. And the earrings! So important that Jerrica’s/Jem’s earrings become plot devices on occasion.
This project could be incredible. Or a horrible mistake. Either way, it’s encouraging to see that input from the fans will be a part of the process.
Looks like it’s showtime, Synergy.