While the life of influential 1960s psychedelic rocker Janis Joplin could certainly fill a football stadium's worth of movies, we now can count at least two competing biopics that are moving forward at the same time. While Janis is moving forward with Sean Durkin directing and Nina Arianda starring, another long in-development is taking shape with some surprising choices both in front of and behind the camera.
THR reports that Lee Daniels(Precious) is in talks to direct Get It While You Can, with Amy Adams set to play the hippie rock 'n roller. Written by Ron Terry and his wife Theresa Kounin-Terry, this version will focus on a single day in the life of the hard-livin' singer, who inspired a number of female musicians before dying of a drug overdose in 1970. The film has gone through a ton of changes, with Fernando Meirelles(City of God) and Catherine Hardwicke(Thirteen) attached at various points, and Renee Zellwegger once set to play Joplin. That would have been a bad idea, I might add.
Daniels is currently recovering from the public thrashing The Paperboy has been receiving, while also filming his civil rights drama, The Butler. This could turn out to be a defining role for Adams, the type that could put her in the Best Actress orbit. Financing is still coming together, with Focus Features possibly coming on board. If all works out, production could begin early next year.
