Last Christmas, a “holiday romance set in London” co-scripted by Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings and recently acquired by Hollywood studio Universal, was inspired by the 1984 Wham! hit written by George Michael. The script was developed with Michael’s participation until his death in 2016.
In an interview with Radio Times, Kimmings said: “When I came on board, George was up for it. He’d already signed something to say yes, but he’d passed away.”
Saying that the idea had been developed by Michael, Thompson and Thompson’s husband, the actor Greg Wise, Kimmings said she had already turned in her draft of the script and included the kind of “queer politics” Michael was interested in. “I tried to slip in some trans people and make sure there was queer politics in there... I don’t know how much of that remains!”
She added: “I doubt there’ll be a trans lead... But I hope that there’s quite an element of queer in there, because you know it’s the story — it’s based on the song, Last Christmas.”
Last Christmas is due to be directed by Bridesmaids’ Paul Feig, who is currently completing work on A Simple Favor, a mystery thriller about a blogger whose best friend disappears.
Meanwhile, The Sun has reported that Michael has left nothing to boyfriend Fadi Fawaz in his will.
Andros, the singer’s closest childhood friend, said most of the multi-million fortune will go to charities and Michael’s sisters Yioda, 58, and Melanie, 56.
“People who worked for George and were loyal to him will be getting small amounts,” he added.
The will includes a housekeeper from his North London home and another at Goring, Oxfordshire.
Michael’s on-off lover Fawaz, 45, who found his body, was contesting his exclusion from the will.
“Fadi is threatening to go all the way to High Court but I think the estate will have to settle with him. He has been offered £500,000 [Dh2.4 million] and I think the estate should pay a couple of million to get rid of him,” Andros said.
Dallas art dealer Kenny, 59, the singer’s former beau from 1996 to 2011, was also contesting his exclusion in relation to their Goss-Michael Foundation.
The singer was found dead aged 53 on Christmas Day 2016.