Fever | Peggy Lee biopic by Todd Haynes starring Michelle Williams

[Cremildo]

The long-in-development Peggy Lee biopic Fever, not only looks to have found a new studio to call home but a new star to play the legendary singer. Sources tell Deadline MGM is in talks to come aboard the Peggy Lee biopic Fever, with Academy Award-nominee Todd Haynes set to direct and four-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams on board to star.

The film will be produced by Marc Platt, Academy Award-winner Reese Witherspoon, and Pamela Koffler & Christine Vachon via their Killer Films production company. It is understood that multi-Grammy award winning artist Billie Eilish, her management team, mother Maggie Baird and Record Label partner Justin Lubliner have expressed interest in Fever and are in early discussions with the filmmakers to come on board as executive producers for the feature film. Eilish was part of a celebration’s life and career last May and has always seen Lee as one of her inspirations for her music.

The film had been in development at Fox 2000 since and came close to going into production with Witherspoon in the Lee role, but after Nora Ephron, who penned the original draft, passed away in 2012, the film was put on hold. Witherspoon would eventually depart the project and after Fox 2000 was shuttered, following Fox-Disney purchase, the film was shelved. In recent months, the project picked up momentum after Williams was drawn to the idea of playing Lee and a package was put together with MGM moving fast to be in pole position for the rights.

Best known for her cover of the Little Willie John song, Fever, to which she added her own additional lyrics, Lee was a product of the big band era, a singer, songwriter and composer whose career spanned nearly seven decades. Lee died in 2002 at the age of 81 but her legacy lives on as one of the first members of Capitol Records’s “old guard” to embrace the new rock’n’roll sound. She was also an accomplished actor, earning an Oscar nom for best actress in 1955 for her portrayal of a despairing, alcoholic blues singer in Pete Kelly’s Blues. [+]

[Gacivory]

Excited for new Todd Haynes and I love Michelle Williams! So this excites me!

[Foggy]

[larsknudsen]

MGM is in talks

Which means the movie is still stuck in development.

[Cremildo]

Originally Posted by larsknudsen

Which means the movie is still stuck in development.

Of course, it's in development. "Stuck" is an interesting choice of word. It still hasn't been made, obviously. What's your point?

[larsknudsen]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Of course, it's in development. "Stuck" is an interesting choice of word. It still hasn't been made, obviously. What's your point?

This thread doesn't need to exist.

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by larsknudsen

This thread doesn't need to exist.

[larsknudsen]

Originally Posted by CyberpunkCentral

According to the same article, the Reese Witherspoon version was almost made, too. How come there wasn't a premature ejaculation thread for that?

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by larsknudsen

According to the same article, the Reese Witherspoon version was almost made, too. How come there wasn't a premature ejaculation thread for that?

So you prefer this to be a dead forum? Not discussing and speculating at all? Because of you, you got the Breakfast at Tiffany's remake thread deleted. Who cares if it wasn't an actual announcement. The rights issue controversy was actually something worth talking about. I can't believe the staff actually listened to you.

[larsknudsen]

Thread titles should clearly indicate what the intended topics are. In the Breakfast at Tiffany's case, the thread title should have mentioned that Paramount and the Capote estate were suing each other, not imply that a remake was being made.

[Cremildo]

Aren't you the same angry dude from both Dracula threads? Surely after all this time here you must realize this subforum is mostly about upcoming, in-development projects?

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by larsknudsen

Thread titles should clearly indicate what the intended topics are. In the Breakfast at Tiffany's case, the thread title should have mentioned that Paramount and the Capote estate were suing each other, not imply that a remake was being made.

Why do you care? You are not even part of the staff.

[Moviefan2k4]

I had no idea Peggy Lee lived to be 81, nor was I aware she'd ever been an actress. This could be an interesting biopic; time will tell.

[larsknudsen]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Aren't you the same angry dude from both Dracula threads? Surely after all this time here you must realize this subforum is mostly about upcoming, in-development projects?

You can discuss the news article on Deadline in the comments section.

[CyberpunkCentral]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Aren't you the same angry dude from both Dracula threads? Surely after all this time here you must realize this subforum is mostly about upcoming, in-development projects?

He's been going around spamming threads lately saying, "this thread shouldn't exist". That's worse if anything.

[MikeScott]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

Excited for new Todd Haynes and I love Michelle Williams! So this excites me!

This.

[Cremildo]

Filming begins this fall.

[Cremildo]

Haynes on the project:

“It’s something I’d started to develop between ‘Carol’ and ‘Wonderstruck.’ Then I put it aside and read it again during COVID-19,” he said, adding that the film will explore jazz culture in mid-century America and the role of a woman as a performer.

“A very unique kind of performer who represented overt sexuality, particularly for her time. She was the Mae West of popular songs,” he said about Lee, mentioning that the script will be structured around her memorable performances.

“Something happens with Peggy in these rooms that’s so strange – it feels utterly intimate and honest. She has that incredible cool about her but there is something performative too. And a great deal of sadness.”

[Cremildo]

Ed Lachman is the DP.

Music is also on Lachman’s mind, working on Todd Haynes’ film about singer Peggy Lee. “It’s a drama, but seen through music. The script reads like a musical in a way,” he added.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

Ed Lachman is the DP.

Shocker.