Is Hipster Jesus Christ Superstar on the Way From Marc Webb?

Marc Webb is done with making music videos for a while, at least after the director's offbeat romcom debut (500) Days of Summer emerged as one of this season's critical and commercial darlings for Fox Searchlight. And while he's not yet commanding final cut or any comic-book adaptations, there's one studio property that may provide just the right room for growth, ambition and ironically interpretative Bible study.

A new report suggests Webb heads the short list for a long-planned remake of Jesus Christ Superstar. It makes sense: Universal -- which released Norman Jewison's original 1973 screen adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice stage smash -- hopes to employ its highly successful Mamma Mia! formula with another internationally renowned musical, and Webb has both the video chops and honed his musical set-piece skills with (500) Days's postcoital dance routine.

The only catch might be how to best approach JCS for a post-hippie, ultra-secular culture. Do they go the straight, faithful route that made Mamma Mia! a $600 million phenomenon? Do they move it into the Son of God's angstsy, postmodern phase, as presumably intended when Uni pursued Eddie Vedder and director Iain Softley a decade ago (true story). Or perhaps Webb might just go full steam ahead for the hipster sweepstakes: Joseph-Gordon Levitt as Jesus, Michael Cera as Judas, and minimalist performances by whatever indie quartet's touring schedule might accommodate it at the time. And, naturally, skinny jeans and trucker caps on all the Romans. So many options.

· Does Universal believe in Jesus? [Risky Biz]