MGM’s The Idolmaker remake has a new director.  Though Ryan Gosling was initially attached to star in and direct a new iteration of Taylor Hackford’s 1980 musical drama, he subsequently left the project.  Now Variety reports that Hustle & Flow director Craig Brewer is in talks to take the helm as Justin Timberlake has closed a deal to produce.  The original film starred Ray Sharkey and told the story of a songwriter/manager searching for “the next big thing.”  The pic was based on the life of concert promoter and manager Bob Marcucci, but it’s unknown if this new iteration will still take cues from Marcucci’s life or if it will explore new territory.

Brewer certainly has experience with music-themed projects, as he wrote and directed 2005’s Hustle & Flow and the 2011 Footloose remake.  Since he has a tendency to also write the films that he directs, one imagines he’ll have a hand in the screenplay for The Idolmaker.  Watch the trailer for the original film after the jump.