| He's also developing a musical for Broadway that will be complete in the next two to three years and will be produced by Barry Weissler
This week, Marshall received a key to the city and was being honored by his alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University
During the ceremony with the mayor, Marshall, who grew up down the street from Fred Rogers, host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," was greeted by seventh- and eighth-graders from a local performing and creative arts school "
' I'm anxious to go to work I believe I need to do this picture
"It's complicated because it involves a lot of different players," Marshall said Thursday during a visit to his native Pittsburgh "I think it's wonderful to go to a movie theater and escape your everyday life and to be taken to another place through song I really enjoyed my experience with Miramax and I'm hoping that they'll find it in their hearts to be generous and let me do this movie," he said No, we want him to do this picture He told ceremony attendees that movie musicals were a big part of his childhood "
"I'm really thrilled that musicals, in a way, have been reborn," Marshall said
Marshall said he's attracted to the film version of Arthur Golden's novel about a geisha's rise from a Japanese fishing village to life in high society because the project is a departure from his musical roots, as well as a "moving story about the human spirit and overcoming obstacles
"It's flattering in a way, because you have a lot of people saying, `We want him to do this picture
But he isn't afraid that such projects will label him as a "musical director
In fact, Marshall said, after the details regarding "Memoirs of a Geisha" are worked out, he would like to work on another musical film, although he's not sure what it would be Marshall Wants to Work on 'Geisha' Movie
Oct 24, 5:28 PM EST
Oscar-winning "Chicago" director Rob Marshall is optimistic that his next project will be the movie version of the best-selling novel "Memoirs of a Geisha," despite a battle between major studios for the fledgling filmmaker's services "
Representatives of Columbia and DreamWorks did not immediately return calls seeking comment
"Chicago," released by Miramax, was the first feature film for the Tony-winning Broadway director and choreographer Marshall's contract with Miramax obligates him to do his second film with them â€â€? but "Memoirs" is a Columbia and DreamWorks film A Miramax spokesman confirmed that the companies have been negotiating to strike a deal, although nothing has been settled yet Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy declared Thursday "Rob Marshall Day" and the school was giving the 1982 graduate its Alumni Merit Award during its homecoming celebrations "
"I know it's getting a little sticky, but I do have faith that it will work out There's nothing quite like a musical |