Jersey Boys Film Rights Sold; Marshall Brickman & Rick Elice to Pen Script

A deal for the film rights to the hit musical Jersey Boys has been signed, with Graham King’s GK Films (producers of the current hit The Town) set to turn the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons into a feature film. Deadline.com reports that a “groundbreaking" and "substantial seven-figures” deal was completed after a “spirited auction.” Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, authors of the musical’s Tony-nominated book, will write the screenplay.

Valli and Bob Gaudio, an original Four Season and composer of many of the group’s biggest hits, said in a statement, "We are extremely excited about the passion and commitment expressed by GK Films to take Jersey Boys to another level. Graham King has been a believer from day one. We are in good hands."

Jersey Boys is gearing up to celebrate its fifth anniversary at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre on November 6. The show describes how Valli, Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi became one of the top-singing groups of the 60s before they turned 30. Des McAnuff's production won four 2006 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and London’s 2009 Olivier Award for Best Musical. Like the show, the film will incorporate hits such as “Sherry,” “Walk Like a Man,” Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.”

King won the film rights over suitors that reportedly included Steven Spielberg for DreamWorks, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman for Playtone, Donald De Line for Warner and Peter Chernin for Fox. No director, casting or timetable for the Jersey Boys film has been announced.