3 chances at the next From Justin to Kelly

In what seemed like perfect synergy to the creators of American Idol, six years ago the winner and runner up of the series teamed in a feature called From Justin to Kelly. The plan was to get the public who had voted so passionately to crown the winner of the reality TV show to part with more of their dollars to see a cinematic romp starring two fresh new talents. This, however, never transpired. The film was a dreadful flop both commercially and critically; the project was awarded a Golden Raspberry for “Worst ‘Musical’ of Our First 25 Years” and widely considered one of the worst features ever committed to celluloid. Unsurprisingly the concept of creating cinematic cross-overs with reality TV contestants lay dormant for the next few years. In the past few weeks this trend has been reversed with rumours of up to three new films based on British reality TV stars emerging.

   X Factor contestant Chico Slimani, the eccentric talent who reached the series quarter-finals in 2005, is the first in this new spate of would be pop stars to branch out into the world of feature films. When he announced the project, a semi-autobiographical tale of a stripping troupe in Europe, the idea this would make the big screen seemed implausible. However, Lunchbox, a feature Chico has co-written and will star in, begins filming next year financed by private investment.

   A second X-Factor based project is rumoured in Susan Boyle: The Movie. Whilst Simon Cowell has spent every possible moment in recent interviews in saying Boyle’s life is “like a film”, the singer’s brother has put forward Kathy Bates as the ideal actress to portray his sister on the big screen.

   Finally, the biggest project comes from Britain’s Got Talent, another show from the Simon Cowell stable. Starring previous contestants George Sampson, Diversity and Flawless, a new film, in 3D no less, has been created to show off the combined ability of this crew to dance in streets. The project is called, inevitably, StreetDance The Movie and is due a cinematic release in May 2010 – some months behind the Academy Awards 2010 deadline.

   As movies in the UK struggle with funding, to the degree that bright young talent such as Peter Strickland have to travel to Transylvania to make features, Simon Cowell and his ilk are attempting to further line their pockets by dipping avariciously into the film industry. They will have to up their game significantly however if another turkey like From Justin to Kelly is to be avoided.

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