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Jennifer Lopez is bringing one of the most iconic Cinderellas to the small screen. It was revealed Wednesday that JLo will be executive producing a limited series based on Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella while The Baby-Sitters Club creator Rachel Shukert will adapt the musical and serve as showrunner.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella debuted on CBS in 1957 and is the only musical the duo created for television. Starring Julie Andrews, it was watched by an estimated 100 million people, which was the biggest audience ever for a TV broadcast at the time, per Deadline.
The movie has been revived twice, first in 1965, starring Lesley Ann Warren as Cinderella and Stuart Damon as the prince.
Millennials may remember the second revival in 1997, which starred Brandy Norwood as Cinderella and the late Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother.
“The story of Cinderella is as timeless now as ever,” said Skydance Television president Bill Bost. “This aspirational story of romance, unconventional families, and the surprising power of wishes has inspired audiences around the world for centuries, and we are thrilled to be working with Jennifer, Rachel, Concord, and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization to bring our fresh take to the screen,” he continued.
Lopez is teaming up with Skydance Television, Concord Originals, and Nuyorican Productions to produce the series, and it will be presented to potential buyers in the future. It will be the first project between the three companies to develop original material based on Concord’s library of musicals.
Sophia Dilley, senior VP development and production at Concord Originals said, “Rodgers & Hammerstein elevated the already magical story of Cinderella with their iconic music that has attracted legends of screen and stage throughout its many beloved, award-winning iterations over the years,”
“Our partnership with Skydance and Nuyorican on this project is the first step of many towards our collective goal of championing timeless classics for a new generation, and Rachel is the perfect voice to expand upon this story in a contemporary way,” she continued.