After a brief hiccup, the 3-D Justin Bieber movie is back in the mix. It had previously been reported that "An Inconvenient Truth" director Davis Guggenheim would helm the flick, but he dropped out to promote his upcoming release, "Waiting for Superman."
Now Paramount Pictures has hired "Step Up 3D" director Jon Chu to steer the biopic/ concert film to the big screen, according to a press release. Also new to the team are producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, the duo behind "Project Runway," "Top Chef" and "Project Greenlight." Bieber manager Scooter Braun and Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid were previously confirmed as producers as well.
The hiring comes not a moment too soon, as filming is already under way. Cameras were rolling behind the scenes earlier this week at the young pop star's Nashville performance. They'll be following him on tour through the end of this month, when Bieber's August 31 Madison Square Garden performance in New York will be shot with 3-D cameras.
Chu is coming to the Bieber movie fresh off of promoting the just-released "Step Up 3D." Of the hiring, he said, "When I was approached about doing Justin's film, I jumped at the opportunity to tell a story with honesty and heart. Most people don't know that his is a true underdog story, and I hope to tell it in a compelling, genuine way, using all source materials available to convey his tale of becoming an icon for this digital age."
Magical Elves partners Cutforth and Lipsitz also expressed their excitement in a statement. "To be able to tell the story of Justin's unique and revolutionary path to stardom in our first studio feature is an incredible opportunity for us," they said.
Despite the change in director, the movie is still set for a 2011 Valentine's Day weekend release, as was previously announced.
Source