Long-Running Hit Les Miz Eyes Movie Musical Debut

It ran for 16 years on Broadway (followed by a two-year revival run), has enjoyed 25 years on the London stage (and counting) and now hit musical Les Miserables may make its way to the silver screen. The U.K.'s Daily Mail reports producer Cameron Mackintosh has teamed up with London's Working Title films to turn the tuner into a Hollywood movie musical.

Les Miz, featuring music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, a book by Schonberg and Alain Boubil and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, made its stage debut in London in 1985. Two years later, it took the Broadway stage in March 1987, winning a slew of Tony Awards, including Best New Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book. It played for 6680 performances before closing in 2003. A revival followed in October 2006, playing 463 performances before closing in 2008.

Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, the story of reformed 19th Century Frenchman Jean Valjean and his struggle against police officer Javert during the background of France's student revolution, was then adapted into a non-musical version for screen in 1998, starring Liam Neeson as Valjean, Geoffrey Rush as pursuer Javert, Claire Danes as Valean's adopted daughter Cosette and Uma Thurman as her mother, Fantine. More recently, the show got a boost from the popular TV talent series Britain's Got Talent, when Youtube sensation Susan Boyle became a household name singing the showstopping number "I Dreamed a Dream."

The film, which has no director or cast at this point, would aim to start production in 2011 or 2012.