Fox Nabs Rights for Guys and Dolls Film Remake; Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt May Star

By Adam Hetrick
24 Apr 2013

Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum
Photo by ABC/Rick Rowell

Frank Loesser's 1950 musical Guys and Dolls is heading back to the big screen. Deadline.com reports that 20th Century Fox has obtained rights from the composer-lyricist's widow, Jo Sullivan Loesser, to remake the beloved Golden Age classic.

The studio is in the early stages of the project, which they hope will star Channing Tatum ("Magic Mike," "The Vow") and Joseph Gordon-Levitt ("Looper," "The Dark Knight Rises") as Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson, respectively.

The roles were originated on film by Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando in 1955. The highly successful 1992 Broadway revival starred Nathan Lane, Faith Prince, Peter Gallagher and Josie de Guzman. A 2009 Broadway revival with Oliver Platt, Lauren Graham, Craig Bierko and Kate Jennings Grant proved short-lived.

A writer and director are not yet attached, according to Deadline.com.

Guys and Dolls features music and lyrics by Loesser with a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. The popular musical is based on the stories and characters of American chronicler Damon Runyon. The original Broadway production, starring Robert Alda, Isabel Bigley, Sam Levene and Vivian Blaine, won five Tony Awards and ran for 1,200 performances.