There are some stories that Hollywood just seems to love, and one of those is A Star Is Born. It was first made in 1937 with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, got a big budget update in 1954 with Judy Garland and James Mason, while Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson took on the tale in 1976.
Now Warner are doing it again, as they’ve hired up and coming screenwriter Will Fetters to draft yet another screenplay based on the story of an up and coming actress who catches the eye of an alcoholic star. He helps the talented newcomer find fame, and they fall in love, but it may not be enough to prevent his own downfall.
You can see why Hollywood loves the story, as it it’s full of romance, heartache, sacrifice and tragedy, all wrapped up in a story of people achieving their dreams and becoming a star (although the end is pretty depressing). With the current obsession with talent shows and celebrity, it’s certainly a good time for a new version of a story that takes pains not to just concentrate on the high of fame, but also the crushing lows.
At the moment there’s no news on who might play the wide-eyed starlet who gets taken under the wing of an older established star, but THR is reporting that Beyonce’s name has surfaced in connection with the lead role, although she isn’t officially involved at the moment.