Musicals can still be a hit and miss proposition for studios, but emboldened by DreamWorks’ success with Dreamgirls, Sony’s Screen Gems arm has decided to give The Good Mother director Steven Antin a chance to direct his Burlesque script.

The story finds a young woman on a quest to escape her hollow past and find salvation dancing in a neo-burlesque club (think Dita Von Teese or those blasted Pussycat Dolls).

Antin is no stranger to Burlesque – he’s been writing and directing live shows in clubs for the last 10 years, and he was also involved in the Pussycat Dolls’ reality TV show. "Neo-burlesque is a contemporary take on the traditional burlesque that derived from vaudeville, with singing, dancing, comedy and more tease than striptease," Antin told Variety.

Juno scripter Diablo Cody has had a crack at revising the script, and the studio is hoping for a cross between Moulin Rouge and Cabaret, with performers belting out 12 songs.

"Ever since I saw my first burlesque show over five years ago, I've wanted to make a film like this, and finally persuaded Steve to write a spec script on the topic," Screen Gems president Clint Culpepper gassed to the trade mag. "This will be a sexy, music-filled film set in a provocative and artistic world." Translation: “I likes girls with not much clothes. The blokes will line up around the block for this!”

Source: (Variety)