Brett Ratner Ready To Make Directorial Comeback With Milli Vanilli Movie

Milli Vanilli Movie Poster

BRETT RATNER, who hasn't directed a movie since 2014's 'Hercules," and is probably best known for his three "Rush Hour" movies has announced his next film will be the story of MILLI VANILLI.  This is a passion project for RATNER, who has been kicking the tires on the film since 2007, when KATHLEEN KENNEDY acquired the rights to the original screenplay by his "Rush Hour" collaborator JEFF NATHANSON ("Lion King," "Terminal"). 

The project has been with UNIVERSAL, who continue to have first refusal for the U.S., but MILLENNIUM has been enlisted to take the film to the EUROPE FILM MARKET to present to buyers.  Executive producers include KEVIN LILES, who was a co-writer on the duo's hit "Girl You Know It's True" and surviving MILLI VANILLI member FAB MORVAN's longtime manager KIM MARLOWE.

Production has yet to begin, but past rumors pegged CHRISTOPH WALZ to play FRANK FARIAN, while OMAR CY ("The Intouchables," "Jurassic World") and the FRENCH dancers LES TWINS -- identical twin brothers LAURENT and LARRY NICOLAS BOURGEOIS -- have all been suggested as possibilities to play ROB and FAB. LES TWINS, already famous in FRANCE for their YOUTUBE videos, finished first in JENNIFER LOPEZ’ 2017 reality competition TV series “World of Dance,” earning a $1 million grand prize.

Filming is expected to take place in the U.S. and EUROPE, where ROB and FAB grew to fame as dancers in MUNICH before FARIAN plucked them to front his MILLI VANILLI project, but without allowing them to sing on the records or live.  The pair earned a BEST NEW ARTIST GRAMMY for their efforts, only to return the award when it was revealed - by FARIAN -- they didn't sing a note on any of the music. 

"Patience is a virtue," posted MORVAN on his INSTAGRAM page. "Anything is possible. Don't ever give up on yourself."

After MILLI VANILLI, FAB hosted his own midday radio show, "FABRICE's Fabulous Flashbacks," at Top 40 KIIS/LOS ANGELES in the late '90s. 

The film returns BRETT RATNER to his own roots as a music video director for rap acts like RUN DMC, PUBLIC ENEMY, JAY-Z, REDMAN, LL COOL J, HEAVY D and WU TANG CLAN as well as pop acts MARIAH CAREY, JODECI, BLACKSTREET, SEAL, MARY J. BLIGE, MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA and MILEY CYRUS.

RATNER's films as a director include "Red Dragon," "X Men: The Last Stand" and "Tower Heist." His RATPAC ENTERTAINMENT produced such films as the OSCAR-winning "Gravity," "Wonder Woman," "The Lego Movie," "The Accountant," "Dunkirk," "It" and "Mad Max: Fury Road," among many others.

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