interesting

sounds great! after hearing the sample clips, i honestly cannot wait for the soundtrack. the needed "new sound" for the film is perfect.

Omgoodness! Yay Im Like So freaking Exited for this movie. I can totaly tell that you all really tried to stay true to the play and you dont know how much us RentHeads Appreciate that. Alright Well that was amazing.

Idina's Number one Fan (lol)
- ANnie -

I'm sure it'll sound great, Chris. Keep up the good work.

cant wait for the film =).

You have made my friend obsessed with RENT I hope your happy

Sounds great Chris...I'm so happy you did this movie. RENT is really important to me (as well as so many others) and I'm really excited. Thanks!

Sounds like everything is going awsome,, I am so excited!! I love RENT so much

Ok Annie you are NOT Idina Menzel's Number 1 Fan that position is already filled by me!! So sorry!

Love Always,
Idina Menzel's Number 1 Fan
Melissa R. Cox

yay! I cant wait to get the new soundtrack! i hope it is just as good or better as the original(my copy is wearing out :( ) i was reading some posts about the character wallpapers, and everyone(well most everyone) just wanted to see idina's. well i love the idina just as much as the next, but there were seldom few who where excited about everyone elses!

keep up the good work :)

Sounds great I can't wait. OMG the closer it gets the harder it is to wait. Annie you are totally Idina's #1 fan. LOL.

Alexis~*~

Skywalker ranch? That's cool! Say hi to George for us! I know that RENT will have everyone camping out in L.A, N.Y and Toronto for the frist showings like Star Wars! But instead of light sabers we will all be MOOOING and drumming on 10-pound plastic pickle tubs!

It's great to hear from you again, Mr. Columbus. From your last blog entry and from reading interviews, I am extremely happy with the direction you are taking this film in. You seem to really have a good sense of everything that Rent is. And judging from the clips, the soundtrack is coming along wonderfully. Keep it up.

sounds great! i'm actually making all of my cousins and friends become as obsessed as i am and just by showing them the preview and a couple of the original songs, everybosy is hooked!

Ok First of All I love you Aleix and you Are Def. Jesse's Number one Fan. And Second Of All Mellisa Im Sorry But I AM Idina's Number On Fan Truly. So Sorry (Haha)

- Annie -

Louve U Dee (lol)

yayy =) soo excited !! i can't wait till the movie comes out =)Question - the movie comes out on November 11 in NY.. does that mean all of NY or just NYC?

I want to see it so bad.Thanxs bunches Chris.

~No Day But Today~
Sarah

SOOO close, yet soo far away. Can't wait!

xoxo, Taylor

Good to hear things are coming along. I'm reserving judgement on the songs, since the clips on the website may not be full quality, and I also listened to them on dinky laptop speakers. I know that changes are necessary, but I was hoping most of the music from the songs would be at least similar. I can already hear alot of differences - some I like, some not so much. I hope hearing them in full, finished, high quality will bring my opinion up another few notches.

Thanks for the update,

Noelle

Wonderful! I am flippin excited! Thanks so much, I am so thrilled that this movie is coming along great!

Thank you for the update!

Ok since like everyone's number one fan is taken, I'll be everyone's number two fan! LOL

Have a great day everyone!

-Katie L

This is a qoute for any light tech's who did the movie.

"The worlds a stage and we light it."

i get more excited each day for the movie (and for seeing idina on september 4th!) thanks so much for making this movie!!!
<3 megan

Thanks Chris. We really appreciate your dedication to this film.

HUGE fan of all the Actors in rent...
Kristin

Tracie, Rosario, Jessie, Anthony, Adam, Taye, Idina, and Wilson- Thank you also for your dedication, where would the world be without you??-- I cant pick just one fave!-- Tracie, Rosario, Thanks for jumping into these roles, I'm sure filling Freddi's and Daphne's shoes isnt easy to do, but you have a huge fan base behind you, and we know you'll do amazing.

I am so excited!!! Thanks so much for posting another wonderfully informative blog! The fact that everything is going well is VERY GOOD! I'm coming back next Monday to see everything thats posted that I'm going to miss.

That's the only bad thing about going on vacation. Missing new stuff on the RENT blog.

Ah, too excited. I love how he knows that all RENT fans are up to date on EVERYTHING. He. is. too. awesome.

Two of my favorite things being connected together somehow. Star Wars and RENT! Woo hoo!

I like Idina and the others alright but Adam Pascal has totally been my favorite for forever. He's hot yes, but I just adore his voice. Model Prisoner and Civilian rock!

Jesse is a damn close second in my book!: )

Thanks Chris for the update and for putting this masterpeice on film.

The tracks from the soundtrack are pretty good, I like Rosario's voice. I'm a little concerned about how One Song Glory sounded though, it's my favorite song and what I heard didn't do it for me. Maybe I just need to hear it all.

Anyway, great work to everyone involved with the site and movie and thanks! (bumper stickers, bracelets for Broadway Cares HINT HINT :)

Cassandra

Thanks so much for keeping us posted. I loved the screensavers and icons, but I was hoping that we'd have more news and info about the movie.

81 days guys! Can't wait :)

--Jenn
Bronx, NY

I like the "new sound" of the film..my only complaint is that adam sounds like he's trying to tone it down.. a bit too much.(im sorry, Adam. I love you, really.) i just really hope that la vie boheme has the same power as the original.

hey chris,

i too am so glad & excited that you did this movie because of the fact that you wanted to stay true to the movie! congrats and best wishes to you as well!

also, if you have ANY say on it, can you bring the movie to san francisco?

but why did your interview leave me hanging? i wanted more! =)

Chris, May The Force Be With You!!

Skywalker Ranch and RENT...now that's an awesome combination. Thank you Chris for being such a friend to your fellow RENT fans:) Know that our thoughts are with you throughout the your post-production efforts. We have complete faith in your vision and despite some concerns about the 30 second soundtrack clips, I know this movie will be a modern musical masterpiece!! Thanks for being the "chosen one" Luke...uh, I mean Chris!

***Would the Rent Team please let us know why the 11/11/05 release date for NYC, LA and Toronto has been removed from the RENT Blog page. Has it been changed?***

lol. everyone is so funny....

idina has a billion number 1 fans...

I wish they would give away a little more info than they do! its all soooo sercretive...

anyone know where you can get clips of the movie??

love, cass

I hope your right about the film. I really want it to be something I'd watch over and over again. Can't wait for more news, thanks for caring.

after hearing the clips on the main site, the full version of seasons of love, and the three songs performed at bryant park and the today show i am only thinking positively about the new updated sound of this film. greenday is one of my favorite bands, and they seem to be doing something right, so of course i knew the songs would sound great. it's great to hear these beloved songs with an updated instrumental, and of course the voices of the OBC have matured.

THIS MOVIE IS GOING TO BE THE BEST!

I am going to be in hysterics the whole time, especially "Over the moon" seeing as Idina is Awesome. I never got to see it on stage but I've heard the soundtrack and the movie is going to be GREAT!!!! What I love about Rent, other than the amazing singing, is that it is very true to real life

Thank you so much for taking time to post; I'm no expert but I'm sure it's safe to say that mixing a film isn't the easiest thing in the world. I'm sending all the positive energy waves I have left for you for your post-production endeavors.

For everyone who worked on this project, from the floor cleaners to you Mr. Columbus: je t'aime!!

I cannot thank-you enough for taking this incredible story and turning it into a MOVIE!!!!
I am so excited to see the OBC in these roles for the 1st time!! I have seen the show, but not with the OBC in it; I do have the OBC album and fell in love with all of their voices. I just have to say to Adam, Anthony, Jessie, Wilson, Idina & Taye, Rosario and Tracie- I LOVE YOU ALL!!! RENT 4EVER!!

VERY EXCITED, LINDSEY

IS THE RELEASE DATE NOW THE 23RD FOR EVERYWHERE EVEN NY, LA, AND TORONTO? PLEASE LET US KNOW!

I LOVE YOU RENT NEWS! *sob*....so incredibly happy... can't wait... ^_^

YES PLEASE tell us why the 11-11 announcement for NY LA and Toronto has been removed. I am planning a trip and don't want to make all the reservations for nothing!!

Hello Chris,
The first question that always comes in mind to people who read a blog is: but do they really read the comment afterwards?
Considering the surprised comments our fans do when someone of the site answers them, probably everyone thinks no.
But I would like to think YES, so I try to write this to you. I am a 28 years old girl from Bologna (so sorry for my English!), Italy. I am web marketing specialist, a singer and a renthead, as you Americans say.
Rent has found me in 1999 as only something related to destiny could.
Going to high school, I used to wake up with the radio. One day they passed SEASON OF LOVE (the amazing Stevie Wonder version), and the day after, and the day after again, at the same hour. Very strange, I thought. And then, what the hell is this song? The DJ did not tell. In Italy no one cared about musicals at that time, so no news about it, just a Stevie’s song.
I started about thinking to propose it for my chorus. I sing in one of the most famous youth modern chorus in Italy, the Verdi Note dell’Antoniano. I searched, and asked, and asked… no one was able to find this song, or to have news about it. I gave up.

Two years passed. One day I was coming back late at home after singing and I turned up TV as I was preparing myself to go to bed.
The anchorman was saying that Nicoletta Mantovani (Luciano Pavarotti’s wife) was spending lots of money on a fool unknown project of producing an Italian version of an unknown musical. Some of the cast were there and started to sing in Italian “season of love”. I came out of the bathroom: that was the song! After two years of searching for Rent, Rent has found me.
I got informed and knew that the only tour dates were in Milan and Bologna (lucky again). And some friends of mine know Nicoletta. I bought a ticket and saw it. It was the most upsetting show experience I have ever had (believe me, even more than when I sung for the Pope in 1997).

My only thought was “no one in Italy knows anything about THIS???” I bought the CD in the theatre (the only way to have it). Only ten songs, in the beautiful translation made by Michele Centonze, a very famous songwriter in Italy. The Larson family gave Nicoletta no rights to produce the entire CD. I began proposing “season of love” at my chorus producers. We made it and we sang it. At the debut some artists of the original Italian cast were singing with us as guests.
Even now we are the only chorus in Italy that peforms “season of love” in concert and even in shows on national TV.
That is because after 2 years and lots of debts, Nicoletta closed the things. Rent went over. The Italian screenplay is lost. No complete CD, no videos, no screenplay, no rights to perform the play in Italy. Rent is lost, and no one knows it here. With some friends of mine I went several times to see the show, and I began to memorize every word…
The Italian version of Rent lives in pieces only in my mind and in those of my friends. We try to wrote down as much as we could, but you know, it’s an entire musical! Since 2002 our aim is to get people in touch with Rent in Italy as much as possible. I tried several times to put on a show with my friends but we can’t use the Italian version and we can’t perform the entire English version, so I started to write it in recital form, even just to promote the story and the songs… in fact not a single company, even amateurs, has ever performed Rent in Italy after 2002.
So we continue involving people by talking, explaining, make it listen to the English version and then translate, even sometimes playing part of the musical we remember in Italian.
My destiny seems to preserve and promote with my friends Rent’s wonderful message in Italy. So imagine how we cried when we got to know you were making the movie. Maybe the movie will be what we dreamed of for so many years, a way to get in touch with people. And maybe for the Italian edition you will choose the Michele Centonze translation and even the magnificent Italian cast as dubbers. And maybe I will be there continuing my aim of promoting the musical that took me 5 years ago.
It’s a dream? Yes, but even thinking you will read these lines is; anyway I wrote.
So anyway, I dream.
Thank you so much from the heart. Really, Chris.
Valentina

The music sounds great! Rosario and Tracie both have handled the roles perfectly, and they sound amazing!

What happened to the film opening on the 11th in NYC and LA? why did they change it???

I love how all the Idina fans post on the other blogs that they are her #1 fan. Sorry kids but ALL of my friends are bigger Idina fans then you will ever be. Hahaha

Ok to the point. Skywalker Ranch!! Woah that must have been amazing to be at the place Lucas built. Star Wars was mixed there. Thats like a dream come true. Thanks for the teasing, about the film

I'm with everyone else on wondering why the film's release date was changed. November 11th was like a holy day for Rent fans. Now its just another hole in time. Its sad now because thousands of AIM and LJ icons were made with the 11.11 date and now they are purposeless. *cries*

But thanks for the update *loves Rent cast*

Hey! Has anyone heard anything about that video contest to win tickets to the premire? thanks!

Sounds great, guys. I really like the music for Today For You. And Rosario and Tracie? You two are great. The only thing that bothers me (and I feel bad for saying this, please know that I love you Adam!), is One Song Glory. It reminds me of the Swedish or Icelandic version ... Eep. You still rock my socks, Adam!

thank you cass for pointing out the obvious.. I am a hugely obssesed Idina fan and I have been for a long long time. I deem myself her biggest fan because she is like my entire focus and there are people that are almost as big fans as me and people that arent that say they are. But i honestly doubt that her biggest fan can be recongnized just by writing it after a few comments on a blog. ps mellissa and annie u r both awesome fans just like the other billion mega fans like me! Im just saying that we can all be humongous freakishly obsessed fans together and not get into stupid arguments about who is a bigger fan we are all like totally focused on Dee (obviously who couldn't be!) Peace to the Dee fans

lol, it's a little weird about all of Idina's fans trying to outdo each other. I love her dearly, but I'm happy just being a part of the RENT family. (Anthony is my fave, lol, I will have to meet him oneday) Yeah, back to the topic at hand, the songclips. Seasons of Love, still amazing of course, and Tango: Maureen was SPECTACULAR, I can't stress this enough. Eh...One Song Glory....needs work

Mr. Chris Columbus,
If you have any say in it, why not release the film in San Francisco on 11/11/05? We are just as crazy for RENT as LA and NY.

Thanks!

And I love Idina!!!

I'm sure that the film will turn out amazing ;)

love,
tina

Are we allowed to Moo in the theatre?

Thank you for making this film - It could not be at a better time in the world.

Is the movie going to be released on November 11 (Limited release) in San Francisco?

Once again, thank you so much!

All of you asking about the NY/LA/TO release date change... did you not read the original posting in the blog?

"The film will be released everywhere on November 23, 2005."

Wow, there's a massive battle for who loves Idina the most, huh? Let's just end that now - I'm sure Idina has enough love for more than one fan, you guys.

I'm just glad that sooner or later the film is comming out... although it is killing me to wait.

A thousand sweet kisses,
e

Hey Chris!

It sounds like you are having a bunch of fun up there at Skywalker ranch. The sound clips sound great, but i'm asuming that is raw recording that hasn't been finalized. I think I've finally realized that you are capable of more than directing a couple of 13 year olds running around with wands and cloaks. (Even though the first two Potter Movies were done much better than the third.) I've put my total faith in you and I'm sure you won't let us down. Who knows, maybe this will get you an oscar nod. Still, you should be very proud of the legacy you have created.

~Becky

Yayyyyyy, this is exciting.. I hope there'll be little video clips coming out soon.. *cough cough*

<3

Dear Chris,

I was so shocked to hear that you were doing this movie and so pleased ! After you quit Harry Potter series, I was disappointed because it would never be the same...especially after Richard Harris died. But I was pleased to hear you picked up another film and are keeping true to the original as you did with Harry Potter Im sure itll be brilliant. Thank you for keeping true to the original again and making the Larson family comftorable with this film.

I'm so excited to see the movie and all the orignal and new castmates! Chris, it looks like you have put such a wonderful movie together. Can't wait. I do have one question, seeing that all the original castmates are in the film and aside from the actual production, is there any reference to Jonathan Larson or will we see anything personal from the master creator in the film? From the previews, I don't see any other director being able to create it the way that you have.

Chris...jeez. thank you SO much for doing this movie. it looks too incredible to be seen with mortal eyes. i just...god, i can't even think of what to say, thank you so much. you rock.
-jb

Chris, thank you!! I have to say that I'm really glad you're the one doing RENT, because I honestly couldn't imagine anyone else handling it. I love that you're so excited and involved, and I'm sure it does sound incredible (as I heard from the sound clips!!)!

Is there any way someone could post the complete list of credits on the movies webpage, or even here on the blog? It'd be great to associate names from the past with current help. Even if it turns that it's as small as the assisstant second grip operator was Blake Burba (Ha!).

I think the film will be the best ever! Thanks for being so passionate and bring us what we have waited for so long!

THE ENDING............

Chris, the NEW Trailer is awesome! Beautiful, simply beautiful. With all due respect, from one "renthead" to another... I'm hoping the movie doesn't end with everyone singing the final note of "Finale B" as they sit on the couch....just seems a little too "laid back" for the film version:) Other than that, everything looks absolutely perfect!!!! Bravo Chris.

My "Rent" Wish List:
*An Official Movie Picture Book!
*Cast CD signing in NYC!
*Special Advance Screenings!
*Ultimate DVD Edition (2006)!

LOVE*HOPE*STRUGGLE*TRIUMPH 11/23/05

I'll second that wish for a book... and gah the DVD is gonna rock.

I'll add to that list a more "hardcore" trailer... though I'm totally happily sobbing my way through the sweet ones.

i loved the show rent i have only seen it once but it was great i hope its around ohio again sometime cause i love the show and thanks for making it a movie it should be just as awsome

I was just wondering if there will be a UK premiere for this film?

Where's the premiere going to be held in America? I'm talking the red carpet deal. Let us know ASAP so the fans can get out there and check it out!

ok, i'm a little late, but I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have never seen the show, but this movie looks GREAT! I have listened to the sound clips about 100 times today. Every time I listen to it, i still love the song 'Will I?' It's wonderful! Every time I listen to it, it makes me want to c it even more.

Hey there!

Just wanted to let you know that there'll be some definite Rent-heads at the MIDNIGHT SHOWING OF RENT! My sisters, our friends, and I are dressing up like all of the Rent cast! My sister's going to be Maureen, my friend's going to be Angel, and this other girl is actually bringing a table for the song "La Vie Boheme!" ((I hope we don't get thrown out of the theater!)) Anyway, love your work!

Dear Chris,

Happy Birthday on Saturday!!!! I'm glad to hear it sounds like everything is going really well with the film. Keep up the good work.

Sandy