Green Day are a band whose career has always followed something of a crooked path. From pop stoner-punks to mature politically literate sweeping concept albums, Green Day have become one of rocks few remaining elder-statesmen when once it seemed the inherent disposability of their music would ensure their transience. The
American Idiot album was an example of this iconoclasm, both within itself, and in the context of the bands career. As expansive musically and radical politically as they had ever been, the CD sold by the bucketload and provided the basis for a slew of hit singles on perennial rotation on satellite TVs many music stations. It would have come as a surprise to many, however, when the band allowed this concept album to be adapted into a Broadway musical by award winning director
Michael Mayer. The musical was a considerable commercial success and, while overall views were mixed, it was praised for closely following the narrative arc of the source material, and for conveying a sincerity of emotion not typically associated with the form- certainly a far cry from Ben Eltons rock musical abominations. Now, with the plays Broadway run coming to a conclusion, the rights to a movie adaptation have been acquired by Universal
who have already hired Academy Award winning writer
Dustin Lance Black (Milk, Eastwood's forthcoming J. Edgar) to pen the screenplay. Mayer is likely to continue his directorial role onto the silver screen (he has several movie credits to his name) with Green Days lead singer rumoured to play one of the more minor roles as St Jimmy, a drug dealer. No names have been attached to the lead roles thus far, and no schedule for shooting/release have been announced.