Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson up for roles in Little Shop of Horrors

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

More than three years after it was announced that Warner Bros. was planning to bring a new version of the musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS to the screen, it looks like the project is finally close to happening. Full Circle Cinema has heard that Taron Egerton, who recently won a Golden Globe for his performance as Elton John in the biopic ROCKETMAN, is in talks to star in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, most likely as the character Seymour Krelborn.

This is a role Egerton is familiar with, as he previously played Seymour in a regional production at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre Youth Theatre in Aberystwyth, Wales in 2007.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS started out as a horror comedy film directed by Roger Corman in 1960. Alan Menken and Howard Ashman teamed up to turn the concept into a stage musical in 1982, and director Frank Oz brought the musical to the screen with a film released in 1986. The story goes like this: 

Meek flower shop assistant Seymour pines for co-worker Audrey. During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II, which feeds only on human flesh and blood. The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the previously struggling store. After Seymour feeds Audrey's boyfriend, Orin, to the plant after Orin's accidental death, he must come up with more bodies for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant.

We heard back in October that Lady Gaga was up for the role of Audrey, but Collider entertainment reporter Jeff Sneider provides the update that the role has now been offered to Scarlett Johansson. Sneider also confirms something else we heard in October, that Billy Porter is the top choice to provide the voice of Audrey II.

I love the LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS musical, I grew up watching the 1986 movie and have also gone to see stage productions of the show, so I'm kind of excited that a new version may be coming to the screen.

When this project was first announced, it was said that Greg Berlanti would be directing from a screenplay by Matthew Robinson.