Tom Hanks – Tribute

First it was jukebox musicals like the Billy Joel-centric ‘Movin’ Out’ and ‘Jersey Boys,’ featuring the music of Frankie Valli, taking over Broadway. Then the the all-ABBA ‘Mamma Mia’ made the leap to theaters and became an international blockbuster. Now, another pop-centric film is coming to theaters near you and, according to Britain’s Empire Magazine, it will feature music by ’70s crooning king Barry Manilow.

If any Manilow haters are wondering who’s behind such an idea, the answer might be surprising — the film is being made by the production companies of Tom Hanks and R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe. Let’s see people knock Stipe and Hanks when ‘Copacabana’ becomes a hit again and a whole new generation of fans start gleefully singing the tale of Lola the showgirl.

Manilow himself will reportedly have a cameo in the film, which will feature his back catalogue and be told along the lines of ‘Love Actually.’ The story is about a group of Manilow fans who come to Vegas — where he’s been headlining and selling out since 2005 — to see the singer perform and have several romantic adventures to the likes of ‘Weekend in New England,’ ‘Can’t Smile Without You’ and ‘Looks Like We Made It,’ songs tailor-made for a romantic comedy.

The film has yet to be titled.

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