The original STEPFORD WIVES
© Paramount Pictures

Related Links

0

Stepford Wives, The

Genre:
Comedy/Science Fiction.

Studio:
Paramount Pictures.

Production Company:
Scott Rudin Productions.

Project Phase:
In the Can.

Who's In It:
Nicole Kidman (Joanna Eberhart); Matthew Broderick (Walter Kresby); Bette Midler (Bobbi Markowitz); Glenn Close (Claire Wellington); Christopher Walken (Mike Wellington); Faith Hill (Sarah Sunderson); Roger Bart (Roger Bannister); Jon Lovitz (Dave Markowitz); Lorri Bagley; Dylan Hartigan; Jason Kravitz; Colleen Dunn.

Who's Making It:
Frank Oz (Director); Paul Rudnick (Screenwriter); Scott Rudin, Gabriel Grunfeld, Edgar J. Scherick, Donald De Line (Producers); Keri Selig, Ronald M. Bozman (Executive Producers); Rob Hahn (Director of Photography); Jay Rabinowitz (Editor); David Arnold (Musical Score); based on the novel The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin.

Premise:
After Joanna Eberhart and her husband move from Manhattan to the seemingly perfect New England community of Stepford, Connecticut, she soon starts to suspect that there is something sinister going on with all the wives in the idyllic neighbourhood: they all seem to be a little too...perfect. As Joanna and her new friend Bobbie investigate further, they discover that the husbands are replacing their wives with cyborg copies who are obedient and devoid of any personality.

Release Date:
June 11, 2004.

Comments:
The early buzz is that Frank Oz's remake will have comedic elements intentionally sewen into its morality tale about suburban life.

The script was written by Paul Rudnick, who penned the comedies IN & OUT and ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES. Paramount is keen on getting this one into production ASAP.

Scoop Feedback:

March 7, 2003... Actor John Cusack is in talks to join the casts of THE STEPFORD WIVES. If John can cut his
deal he'll be joining his sister Joan Cusack who was cast earlier on in the project's development.

The brotherly Cusack would play the part of the husband of Nicole Kidman's character. The couple moves to a new
neighborhood and soon the wife begins to suspect that something sinister is behind the idyllic setting. In fact,
the husbands have replaced their wives with robots who cater to every whim and needs. Sister Cusack would play the

March 10, 2003... Christopher Walken and Glenn Close are in talks to join the cast of THE STEPFORD WIVES
remake as the town leaders. Variety hints that one of their characters would be a principal leader behind turning the
town's citizens into obedient androids. [Variety.]

April 11, 2003... Variety added a little bit more knowledge today to THE STEPFORD WIVES remake
currently in development: country singer Faith Hill is in discussions to play one of the movie's happy homemakers.
If she signs the contract, it will be Hill's first role in a theatrical production.

The project is at Paramount Pictures and targeted for a 2004 release. Nicole Kidman and John Cusack play the new couple
in town, the Eberharts, who discover all the other wives are happy because they're MACHINES! Aaaaah!!

You know, this does explain the rise of Martha Stuart's vast empire. [Variety.]

May 2, 2003... Citing undisclosed personal reasons, siblings John and Joan Cusack have exited Paramount's remake of
THE STEPFORD WIVES. The studio is moving fast to recast the parts, with Matthew Broderick in talks to play the
part of Nicole Kidman's husband and Bette Midler as Kidman's confidant and friend in the film.

The other previously announced cast members, Christopher Walken, Glenn Close, Roger Bart, Faith Hill and Mike White, remain onboard. [Source: Variety.]

December 23, 2003... It may be just a short teaser for Frank Oz's THE STEPFORD WIVES, but the new trailer gets the point of the movie across nicely. Plus, Nicole Kidman looks ravishing in it, so why not download it and see foryourself?

We aim to please. [Yahoo Movies.]

April 8, 2004... The latest trailer for the new STEPFORD WIVES movie is now online, an exclusive at Moviefone. In the trailer we get to see what director Frank Oz has been doing to update the film, which tells the story of a group of surburban men that are substituting their real wives for subservient robots that will do anything for them.

Now really, is that so wrong?

Before the wave of angry email forces the site offline, you can judge for yourself by checking out the trailer.

[Thanks to Coming Soon for the heads up.]

June 4, 2004... As we inch closer to the release of THE STEPFORD WIVES next week, the official website for the film has added new content to attract prospective homeowners to move to the community. You can meet the neighbors and find out more about who they are, such as Mrs. Herb Sunderson (played by Faith Hill.) "Herb is my religion," Sarah is quoted as saying in her bio on the film's website, "because I worship him."

You can also read a synopsis of the film, learn about the filmmakers, download stills, wallpaper, AIM icons, a screensaver and the film's trailer, take the "Stepford IQ Quiz", the "Stepford Makeover" or read what the ladies of the community have to say about pleasing their men in the domestic bliss guide -- including receipes!

Visit the perfect world of THE STEPFORD WIVES official website and discover that domestic bliss is as simple as a four letter word. [Official website.]

Yahoo Movies is hosting an exclusive clip from THE STEPFORD WIVES available in either Windows Media or QuickTime formats. The preview runs about a minute long and shows a scene where Joanna Eberhart (Nicole Kidman) and her husband Walter (Matthew Broderick) attend a fair and encounter four of the local Stepford wives. What happens is a short conversation about the merits of wearing khaki pants.

Download the "Banana Republic" clip from here. [Yahoo Movies.]

Official Web Site:

www.stepfordwivesmovie.com