By Romeo San Vicente
Jennifer Jason Leigh, is set to co-star in the Maybury film "The Jacket." © 2003 Screen Gems Inc.
Not a straight 'Jacket'
Daring queer British director John Maybury has taken on a big, star-studded project that sounds just as bold and strange as his hypnotic and visually stunning Frances Bacon biopic, "Love Is the Devil." "The Jacket" – to star Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kelly Lynch, Kris Kristofferson, and "Devil"'s Daniel Craig – concerns an amnesiac war veteran, wrongly accused of murder, who winds up in a mental hospital. There's more: He's then straight-jacketed, pumped full of bizarre drugs, and locked in a morgue's body drawer. Well, "naturally," this series of events gives him the ability to time-travel to the future, where he must save himself from death. Kind of puts the "high" into "high concept," doesn't it? "The Jacket" begins shooting early next year in Glasgow and should be freaking out audiences by 2005.
'Justice' for all
If the biggest mystery in your life is why your gaydar doesn't work, then you haven't been reading John Morgan Wilson's "Benjamin Justice" novels. But Lee Rose has, and the lesbian producer/director likes them so much that she's optioned the film rights to "Simple Justice," the first in Wilson's mystery series. Rose has helmed other gay-themed projects before – like the TV movies "What Makes a Family" and "This Much I Know" – and will now hold the option to Wilson's four other novels as well. The gritty, noir-ish "Simple Justice" concerns a gay alcoholic former journalist grieving his lover's death and attempting to clear a Latino teenager of murder charges – even though the boy has already confessed. Of course, "option" doesn't mean "in production," so the real mystery may be when Wilson's fans will get to see the finished product.
The 'Unfabulous' Jill Sobule
Even if you're a gay man, you probably spent a few moments in the mid-'90s singing along to Jill Sobule's "I Kissed a Girl," her sweetly controversial same-sex pop hit. Then you wondered what happened to her. You'll be happy to know that the bisexual singer-songwriter has a new gig with Nickelodeon, composing songs for their comedy pilot "Unfabulous," which stars newcomer Emma Roberts (daughter of Eric, niece of Julia). Roberts the Younger plays 12-year-old Ally, a girl struggling with the usual middle-school traumas. The show's stamp of individuality will come from Ally's penchant for suddenly bursting into Sobule's humorous songs to express her feelings. Sounds delightful – even if her first innocent kiss will most likely come from a boy.
'Hairspray' director goes to jail
Broadway's Jack O'Brien is headed for the big house with screenwriter Sara Goodman. The Tony Award-winning "Hairspray" helmer will direct the Goodman-penned comedy "Slammer" for Revolution Studios, right after his Lincoln Center production of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," starring Kevin Kline, wraps up. "Slammer"'s story concerns an imprisoned female publicist who wants to do a makeover on Cell Block H's image by producing an all-inmate talent show. Think of it as a female "Oz" – well, if Judy Garland could star in it instead of a bunch of menacing thugs – and you'll be close. Screenwriter Goodman will add this feature to her already crowded plate, which includes the upcoming feature "Nice," about a woman who's too sweet to break up with her many boyfriends and decides to kill them off instead. Romeo is detecting a pattern here…
