'High School Musical's' Kenny Ortega to Produce and Direct

Paramount Pictures announced today that Chace Crawford will play the lead role of Ren McCormack in the film "Footloose," which will be produced and directed by Kenny Ortega.

Over the course of his 30-year career, Emmy Award-winning director and choreographer Ortega has worked with superstars Madonna, Michael Jackson, Kiss, Cher, and Diana Ross. He choreographed the classic "Dirty Dancing" and, most recently, directed all three "High School Musical" films. The hugely successful trilogy has broken numerous records including "High School Musical 3: Senior Year's" record opening for a song-and-dance film grossing $42 million in its first weekend.

The film will be produced by the highly successful team of Craig Zadan (a producer of the original "Footloose" in 1984) and Neil Meron. Together, Zadan and Meron produced the blockbuster "Hairspray" and the critically acclaimed "Chicago," which was the first musical in 34 years to win the top honor of Best Picture Oscar at the 2002 Academy Awards. The film will also be produced by Dylan Sellers ("Agent Cody Banks"). Academy Award-nominated Susannah Grant ("Erin Brockovich") wrote the recently green-lit screenplay.

Crawford is best known to audiences worldwide for his role on the hit series "Gossip Girl." He is currently starring in Joel Schumacher's drama "Twelve" along with Emma Roberts and 50 Cent. Crawford is repped by Eric Podwall and CAA.

Production on the movie is set to begin shooting in March 2010.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.