If you are a 'Gleek' the news that there will be a 3D movie hitting theaters this summer will fill you with, well glee (yep I went there). The live tour that is occurring during the summer hiatus will be converted for the cinema. This will follow in the footsteps of other live concerts that have been shown in 3D by the likes of Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, U2 and most recently Justin Bieber.
The film will be limited to a two week run in August and will feature the 14 performers from the live tour that begins May 21st. Director of the 2009 Fame remake Kevin Tancharoen will be at the helm of the film that has been given the exclamation full title Glee Live! 3D!
Showrunner Ryan Murphy has said in the press release from Fox that:
“This tour was all about going out and performing for our amazing fans who have supported our show from the beginning, but due to the limited time we had to travel during our hiatus, there were only so many cities we could get to before we had to resume work on the television series. We knew that not every fan who wanted to attend a concert would get that opportunity. Now, thanks to our friends at Twentieth Century Fox Film, we’ll be able to bring the concert experience to movie theaters across the country in full three dimensional glory. We promise every passionate ‘Gleek’ a cinematic experience that will have them singing and dancing in the aisles.”
It certainly is cheaper for a fan to go see the concert in this manner and seems to be a strategy that is increasing in recent years, particularly with the current popularity with 3D. The cinema is one avenue that Glee hasn't ventured in to yet and with this 3D concert, like everything else the show has produced it looks set to be a big hit. If it is a success I imagine that Fox could push for a feature length Glee film as it certainly looks like they are looking at every avenue when it comes to Glee. They are striking whilst the show is at a popular high, but I wonder if there will be Glee fatigue soon as there has already been some backlash toward the show this season. This backlash was inevitable as this is often the case with a popular TV show, but with sold out venues it is clear that 'Gleek' domination is here to stay for now.
If you are a Glee fan are you looking forward to seeing the cast on the big screen?
The film opens in the US August 12th, the UK will be hosting the second leg of the tour in June and will be followed by Dublin shows. Glee airs all around the world so expect to see the film released outside of the US.
