Franco Vehicle ‘Howl’ Gets Financing

‘Howl’, the Allen Ginsberg biopic, is getting pushed into production.   James Franco has already signed on to star as the famous poet, and Werc Werk Works has picked up the financial side of the film.

The film will center on the obscenity trial over Ginsberg’s poem, as well as an animated re-imagining of the poem itself.   Ginsberg’s poem, “Howl”, was originally considered to be obscene and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who published the poem in a book of poetry, was arrested and charged with its publication,on October 3, 1957 Judge Clayton W. Horn ruled that the poem was not obscene, and “Howl” went on to be come one of the most popular poems of the Beat Generation.

Gus Van Sant will executive produce the film, and Rob Epstein (‘The Times of Harvey Milk’ and ‘The Celluloid Closet’) will direct.

Source: Variety