HBO Picks Up Steven Soderberg's Liberace Biopic, 'Behind The Candelbra,' To Shoot Summer 2012

The Liberace movie that Steven Soderbergh has talked about making for a couple years is finally going to happen. Once slated to shoot earlier this year with Michael Douglas playing LIberace and Matt Damon playing his lover Scott Thorson, the project was put on hold when Douglas had to dedicate time to his affliction with cancer. But the actor is in good shape now, and the film is moving forward once more.

Douglas and Damon are still starring. We've got a title for the film, Behind the Candelabra, and a financier. In something of a surprise turn, the film won't be a theatrical feature, as HBO has stepped up to finance. A shoot is tentatively planned for summer 2012.

This should be a good step towards getting an audience to see the film. As Soderbergh told the LA Times,

From the inception of this project, we've had two priorities: getting it right creatively, and getting as many people as possible to see it. HBO's fearless approach to original programming and their unparalleled ability to pull in viewers make them the perfect fit for us.  Apart from my hair growing back, I couldn't be happier.

Richard LaGravenese (The Bridges of Madison County) scripted based on Thorson's own memoir Behind the Candelabra (My Life With Liberace), from which the film obviously takes its name. Producer Jerry Weintraub, a consistent Soderberg collaborator, helped the film land at HBO, with which he worked on the doc His Way.

HBO Films president Len Amato said,

This is a story that's going to surprise a lot of people... It's funny, heartbreaking and always fascinating, and we are delighted that Jerry and Steven brought the film to HBO.