Jon M. Chu is carving out a comfortable niche recreating our childhoods on screen. After playing in the G.I. Joe sandbox, then giving Justin Bieber a bigger stage on which to dance, Chu is tackling a big-screen adaptation of the 1980s cartoon Jem and the Holograms, and we have our latest full look at the upcoming film.
USA Today has this new look at the upcoming musical-fantasy-adventure, which casts Nashville co-star Aubrey Peeples as the title rocker, lead singer of a glamorous rock band who often goes on dangerous missions that put them at odds with rival music groups The Misfits and The Stingers. Jem’s real name is Jerrica Benton, and Jon M. Chu says he’s doing what he can to make sure that Peeples' rendition of the character is a 21st century sort of lead. Here she is strumming her guitar, imagining fresh licks for the Holograms to rock out to:
In this version, Jerrica will be afraid to use her vocal talents following the death of her father who called her "Jem" and frequently encouraged her. She’ll end up adopting the alter ego of Jem to provide for her family and her bandmates. Peeples explains:
She never wanted to pursue the big costumes, lots of makeup, all that stuff. But in a way, it helps her hide and have the confidence to come out and be this persona."
Don’t worry, though, Jem and the Holograms fans. There will still be plenty of the glam that you loved from the offbeat and original animated series, as this picture proves.
But Jon M. Chu says that he wants this version of Jem to speak to all of the ways that fame and fortune are tempting media-savvy teenagers in the year 2015. While Peeples tells USA Today that the movie is "quirky and cool and badass," the director elaborates:
It's actually about a group of young people who are going to be inundated with this idea of fame and fortune and products and stuff, and within all that, how do you stay true to who you really are? That's the real soul of the movie."
Jem and the Holograms has a kick-ass cast, though we’re most excited at the idea of seeing Juliette Lewis and Molly Ringwald in supporting parts. The movie will come out on Oct. 23. With these images out there now, could a trailer be right behind?
