Adam Shankman, the choreographer-turned-director of the musical adaptation Hairspray, is currently in talks to direct Columbia Pictures’ The 8th Voyage Of Sinbad.
Based on the classic Arabian Nights tale, the Hollywood Reporter states that Sinbad and his crew will “meet a beautiful empress and do battle with fantastic creatures and a rebellious Chinese general who threatens the kingdom” while journeying to find Aladdin’s lamp. The screenplay is being written by the National Treasure husband and wife scripting team of Marianne and Cormac Wibberley.
While Shankman did have a success with Hairspray this past summer, is he really the right person for the film? Nothing on his directorial resume, which mostly consists of watered down family comedies like Bringing Down The House, The Pacifier and Cheaper By The Dozen 2, really gives me confidence that he will be suitable for a swashbuckling fantasy adventure.
Still, it could have been worse. The project was previously under development with The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor helmer Rob Cohen and Vin Diesel attached to it.
Does Sinbad as a cinematic hero hold any sway over the average movie going public? For those of us who spent an inordinate amount of Saturday afternoons in front of the TV watching various Ray Harryhausen interpretations of the classic Sinbad stories, the chance to see a new take does sound interesting, even with Shankman and the Wibberleys working on it. I only half-jokingly ask if some people will pas it by at the theaters because they haven’t seen the previous seven voyages of Sinbad?
