Drug company Pfizer is in the news at the moment for its spearheading one of the potential Covid vaccines, but before that it was best known for the little blue pill known as Viagra. It has been seen on screen before (think 2010's Love And Other Drugs), but Spike Lee has plans for it. Musical plans...
It would appear to be an unlikely project for the man behind Do The Right Thing and Da 5 Bloods, but he's been hard at work on a screenplay alongside playwright (and director of the young Vic theatre) Kwame Kwei-Armah, with original songs from Stew Stewart and Heidi Rodewald, who co-created the Tony-winning musical Passing Strange.
Inspired by true events and drawing from David Kushner's Esquire article All Rise: The Untold Story Of The Guys Who Launched Viagra, the film will follow how researchers discovered that Sildenafil, a medicine that had been created to treat heart-related chest pain had benefits for men in the downstairs department. It was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a huge hit.
Here's Lee's statement on the musical project, as sent verbatim to Deadline: "First And Foremost, I Thank Ms. Jacquelyn Shelton Lee. I Thank My Late Mother For As She Would Say Taking “My Narrow,Rusty Behind” Dragging, Kickin’ And Screamin’ To The Movies When I Wuz A Nappy Headed Kid Growing Up In Da Streets Of Da People’s Republic Of Brooklyn. I Did Not Want To See Corny People Singin’ And Dancin’. I Instead Wanted To Play With My Friends On Da Block, Stoop Ball, Stick Ball, Punch Ball, Soft Ball, Basketball, 2 Hand Touch, Tackle Football, Coco Leevio, Johnny On Da Pony, Hot Peas And Butter, Crack Top, Down Da Sewer And Of Course-Booty’s Up. All The Great New York City Street Games That Might Be Sadly Lost Forever. My Father, Bill Lee, Jazz/Folk Bassist,Composer HATED HollyWeird Movies, Henceforth And What Not, Me Being The Eldest Of 5 Children I Became Mommy’s Movie Date. She Was A Cinefile. Thank You Lawdy She Didn’t Listen To My Ongoing Complaints About Musicals. So Finally Going Into My 4th Decade As A Filmmaker I Will Be Directing A DANCIN’,ALL SINGIN’ MUSICAL Spike Lee Joint And I Can’t Wait. My Moms Has Been Waiting TOO!!! And Dats Da Rodgers And Hammerstein Truth, Ruth."
No idea on casting or a running time yet, but if it lasts longer than four hours, consult a doctor.