David Frankel to Direct Comedy About Opera Singer Paul Potts

David Frankel to Direct Comedy About Opera Singer Paul Potts

Published: November 10, 2010 @ 4:23 pm
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By Jeff Sneider

David Frankel ("The Devil Wears Prada") is attached to direct "One Chance," a comedy about Paul Potts, the "Britain's Got Talent" contestant who wowed judges Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan by singing opera on the ITV show in 2007, the filmmaker's representation at Anonymous Content has confirmed to TheWrap.

Potts was a cell phone salesman whose passion for opera and spectacular voice earned him overnight success in the U.K. The screenplay by Justin Zackham ("The Bucket List") tracks the portly tenor from his childhood to his awkward adulthood, and also features the various mishaps he encountered before revealing his secret talent in front of a live TV audience.

Potts went on to become a global opera star who has toured the world and sold millions of albums.  Producers are expected to cast an unknown as Potts and surround him with more established actors.

"One Chance" was originally set up at Paramount, but the studio let it go, and now producers Brad Weston and Mike Menchel will take the project to financiers.

Since the project doesn't have a distributor yet and funding is still being secured, there is no firm start date yet, and while Frankel would like to make "One Chance" his next project, he's still reading other scripts, as any filmmaker would do while they wait for things to come together.

"Britain's Got Talent" creator Cowell initially agreed to produce the movie, but his busy schedule will prevent him from being involved, although he has endorsed the project, which will likely be filmed on location in Wales.

CAA and WME are representing the project together.

Frankel previously directed "Marley & Me," and he recently wrapped "The Big Year," a bird-watching comedy starring Jack Black and Steve Martin.

Frankel is also represented by WME.

Tags: Anonymous Content, Brad Weston, Britain's Got Talent, CAA, company, David Frankel, Deal Central, Justin Zackham, Mike Menchel, Movies, news, Paramount, Paul Potts, people, Piers Morgan, project, simon cowell, WME
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