"Nine years ago, it started in La Jolla, California, as a small get-together of actors portraying this play that they never thought would be anything," said Eastwood, who received a standing ovation when he took the stage at CinemaCom.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first footage of the film featured big musical numbers, and the characters break the fourth wall by talking directly to the cameras.
As previously reported, the film will feature original Broadway cast member and Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young as Franki Valli with Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda and Vincent Piazza as Four Seasons Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi and Tommy DeVito, respectively.
Graham King ("Argo") and Robert Lorenz ("Million Dollar Baby") are producing. Sergio Trujillo, who choreographed the original production, will repeat his work for the film.
Tony Award-winning playwright John Logan (Red, I'll Eat You Last) has penned the screenplay based on the original Broadway script written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, who earned Tony Award nominations for their work. The film will include the hit songs from the Broadway production by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe.
Casting includes Mike Doyle ("Shameless," "Gayby," "A Gifted Man") as music producer Bob Crewe, Johnny Cannizzaro ("The Muppets, Lost Angels") as Nick DeVito, Donnie Kehr as Norm Waxman, Jeremy Luke ("Don John," "Lost Angels") as loan shark Donnie, Joey Russo ("Turbo and Joey," "It's You Not Me") as Joe Pesci and Christopher Walken as Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo.
Erica Piccininni, also a member of the original Broadway cast, repeats her performance as Lorraine. Kathrine Narducci plays Mary Rinaldi, Valli's mother. Renée Marino plays Mary Delgado.
Eastwood's directorial credits include "Million Dollar Baby," "Flags of Our Fathers," "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and "The Bridges of Madison County."
Jersey Boys is the winner of the 2006 Best Musical Tony Award, the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, the 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and the 2010 Helpmann Award for Best Musical (Australia).
Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. According to press notes, "This is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty."
