Fox to Release a 3D 'Glee' Movie in August

Twentieth Century Fox is preparing to produceGlee Live! 3D!, a 3D movie featuring the expanding cast of Fox TV’s hit series during their 18-city tour across the country this summer.

The studio will release the concert film on August 12 for a“two week engagement,” but the same limited time frame was said for similar 3D movies lead by Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and the late Michael Jackson before encore extensions were granted. Kevin Tancharoen, who directed the musical Fameand, randomly, those“Mortal Kombat” web shorts, will be behind the camera as the stage tour gets underway on May 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada (three days before season 2’s finale episode).

Here is the cast of the tour and, subsequently, the movie: Lea Michele(Rachel),Amber Riley(Mercedes),Cory Monteith(Finn),Kevin McHale(Artie),Chris Colfer(Kurt),Mark Salling(Puck),Jenna Ushkowitz(Tina),Naya Rivera(Santana),Dianna Agron(Quinn),Harry Shum Jr.(Mike), Heather Morris(Brittany),Darren Criss(Blaine),Chord Overstreet(Sam), andAshley Fink(Lauren), plus the all-male a capella group The Warblers.

“Glee” creator Ryan Murphy struck downrumors of a featurebased on the singing/dancing club nearly a year ago. But a concert movie presents a lucrative opportunity to further capitalize on the massively successful“Glee” franchise by simply filming and editing together performances and behind-the-scenes antics during an already-existing tour.

Bieber’sNever Say Neverwas produced by Paramount for a measly $13 million and grossed $98 million worldwide and Miley’s movie scored roughly the same result in 2008. It’s essentially a sure thing and just the icing on the proverbial cake for Fox, which is already banking from advertising during the show, record DVD sales, chart-topping soundtrack/compilation albums, an upcoming young adult novel series, and countless other merchandise items like a Macy’s clothing line and even a“Glee”magic 8-ball.

The over-punctuated movie and tour are well-timed considering the increasing criticism from“Gleeks,” who feel the show is weakening with age, and its Nielson ratings have been dropping rather steadily throughout season 2 (except for a spike following Super Bowl XLV). ”The members are becoming caricatures and story lines are being recycled,” one regular viewer told me, a problem with Murphy’s previous award-winning series,“Nip/Tuck.” Is the show becoming too commercial? Too over-saturated? Will you see the“Glee” movie?

Source