Sondheim and Groundhog Day: A Match Made in Musical Heaven?

A musical version of the classic Bill Murray comedy Groundhog Day is in the works, reports MTV.com. Harold Ramis, who directed and co-wrote the 1993 movie with Danny Rubin, says that Rubin has been working on a book and that the project is moving forward. Ramis even mentioned two Broadway bigwigs who’ve expressed interest: James Lapine and frequent collaborator Stephen Sondheim.

For some time now, Sondheim has answered the question of “What movie would you make into a musical?” with Groundhog Day. Ramis was flattered and says that Lapine actually contacted him to ask if he’d ever thought about an adaptation. Whether or not the men who made Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods will be involved remains to be seen. “I don’t know,” said Ramis. “I like that [they] took it seriously.”

Groundhog Day tells the story of Phil Connors, a surly, cynical weatherman in Pittsburgh who begrudgingly heads for Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual appearance of Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog. After a blizzard forces him to stay the night, Phil wakes up to find its Groundhog Day again, and again, and again, living the same horrible day over and over, until he realizes it’s not so horrible anymore.

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Murray as Phil Connors, but New York magazine pegged Nathan Lane as the perfect Ned Ryerson, the annoying insurance salesman who Connors bumps into day after day. And Ramis has at least one idea for the score: “Just one song all the way through.”

Let’s hope it’s not “The Pennsylvania Polka.”