Spike Lee is directing a musical about Viagra. Deadline reports that the upcoming film, inspired by Pfizer's discovery of the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil while working on a treatment for heart-related chest pain, will be based on David Kushner's 2018 Esquire article All Rise: The Untold Story Of The Guys Who Launched Viagra.
Lee co-wrote the movie's screenplay with British playwright and director Kwame Kwei-Armah, and the musical's original songs and music will be written by Passing Strange's Stew Stewart and Heidi Rodewald. Addressing his involvement in the project, which doesn't have a title yet, Lee shared the following quote with Deadline:
First And Foremost, I Thank Ms. Jacquelyn Shelton Lee. I Thank My Late Mother For As She Would Say Taking “My Narrow,Rusty Behind” Dragging, Kickin’ And Screamin’ To The Movies When I Wuz A Nappy Headed Kid Growing Up In Da Streets Of Da People’s Republic Of Brooklyn. I Did Not Want To See Corny People Singin’ And Dancin’. I Instead Wanted To Play With My Friends On Da Block, Stoop Ball, Stick Ball, Punch Ball, Soft Ball, Basketball, 2 Hand Touch, Tackle Football, Coco Leevio, Johnny On Da Pony, Hot Peas And Butter, Crack Top, Down Da Sewer And Of Course-Booty’s Up. All The Great New York City Street Games That Might Be Sadly Lost Forever. My Father, Bill Lee, Jazz/Folk Bassist,Composer HATED HollyWeird Movies, Henceforth And What Not, Me Being The Eldest Of 5 Children I Became Mommy’s Movie Date. She Was A Cinefile. Thank You Lawdy She Didn’t Listen To My Ongoing Complaints About Musicals. So Finally Going Into My 4th Decade As A Filmmaker I Will Be Directing A DANCIN’,ALL SINGIN’ MUSICAL Spike Lee Joint And I Can’t Wait. My Moms Has Been Waiting TOO!!! And Dats Da Rodgers And Hammerstein Truth, Ruth.
So yeah, he seems pretty excited.
