Legendary downtown punk club CBGB is reentering the collective consciousness with a vengeance: first, news came out that the club would reopen in a new location, next -- that there would be a CBGB summer music festival and now, casting information has been released about an upcoming film centered on the nightclub, its owner Hilly Krystal, and the denizens who gathered there (like Debbie Harry and The Ramones), produced by Kristal's daughter, Lisa. (Also, the film is being shot in Savannah, which, yes, the Bowery is a whisper of its dirty and dangerous CBGB days, but Savannah? That worries us a little bit.) Check out the cast below and weigh in on what you think of the choices -- do they sound right or make you want to OMFUG all over the place?
UPDATE: Sting's daughter (and Borgias actress) Mickey Sumner has been cast as Patti Smith and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins will play Iggy Pop, THR says. With all of this casting news lately, we're curious how this movie will pan out. Though arguably the producers have picked decent doppelgängers (just throw on a black wig and dye Mickey Sumner's eyebrows and we can see a young Patti Smith), we're surprised that they haven't tapped more A-listers for this project. It would seem that the chance to be attached to a biopic about the legendary punk venue -- not to mention the opportunity to play someone like Patti Smith, Debbie Harry or Joey Ramone -- would be an alt-leaning actor's wet dream so what do the casting decisions reveal? That the producers purposely decided to focus on up-and-comers over big names? That their budget couldn't cover A-list fees? Or, maybe, that the script didn't appeal to any megastars?
While we have faith that Hilly Kristal's daughter, Lisa Kristal Burgman, who's a co-producer, has the best of intentions for this flick, we can't help but be a bit skeptical -- since when is Taylor Hawkins an actor?
![Screen shot 2012-06-05 at 1.34.35 PM.png]()
Sting's daughter and Borgias actress Mickey Sumner will play Patti Smith
![Screen shot 2012-06-05 at 1.39.20 PM.png]()
Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins will play Iggy Pop
![Screen shot 2012-05-29 at 10.36.03 AM.png]()
Alan Rickman (Severus Snape!) will play the late owner, Hilly Kristal
![Screen shot 2012-05-29 at 10.40.30 AM.png]()
Estelle Harris (Estelle Costanza!) will play Kristal's mother, Bertha
![Screen shot 2012-05-29 at 10.49.08 AM.png]()
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley!) will play Cheetah Chrome of punk band, The Dead Boys
![Screen shot 2012-05-29 at 11.00.15 AM.png]()
Avatar's Joel David Moore will play Joey Ramone
![Screen shot 2012-05-29 at 11.01.28 AM.png]()
Julian Acosta will play Johnny Ramone
[Stereogum via Huffington Post]
UPDATE: Sting's daughter (and Borgias actress) Mickey Sumner has been cast as Patti Smith and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins will play Iggy Pop, THR says. With all of this casting news lately, we're curious how this movie will pan out. Though arguably the producers have picked decent doppelgängers (just throw on a black wig and dye Mickey Sumner's eyebrows and we can see a young Patti Smith), we're surprised that they haven't tapped more A-listers for this project. It would seem that the chance to be attached to a biopic about the legendary punk venue -- not to mention the opportunity to play someone like Patti Smith, Debbie Harry or Joey Ramone -- would be an alt-leaning actor's wet dream so what do the casting decisions reveal? That the producers purposely decided to focus on up-and-comers over big names? That their budget couldn't cover A-list fees? Or, maybe, that the script didn't appeal to any megastars?
While we have faith that Hilly Kristal's daughter, Lisa Kristal Burgman, who's a co-producer, has the best of intentions for this flick, we can't help but be a bit skeptical -- since when is Taylor Hawkins an actor?
Sting's daughter and Borgias actress Mickey Sumner will play Patti Smith
Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins will play Iggy Pop
Alan Rickman (Severus Snape!) will play the late owner, Hilly Kristal
Estelle Harris (Estelle Costanza!) will play Kristal's mother, Bertha
Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley!) will play Cheetah Chrome of punk band, The Dead Boys
Avatar's Joel David Moore will play Joey Ramone
Julian Acosta will play Johnny Ramone[Stereogum via Huffington Post]