23 musicals for film adaptations

The pandemic may have derailed everyone’s plans, but there’s still a lot to look forward to on the big screen! To clarify – these are original films rather than stage versions transplanted to the big screen (like our faithful friend Hamilton). Some of those release dates have changed, but we’re still hoping they arrive and we’re very excited. Oh and, Six could join them.

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1. Everyone’s talking about Jamie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/cDXjAtcBzUE

Warp Films has a crack cast including Richard E Grant, Sarah Lancashire and newcomer Max Harwood transforming the Glorious Everybody’s talking about Jamie in a musical film. Original writers Tom MacRae and Dan Gillespie Sells are behind the project, which was first inspired by a BBC TV documentary. We can’t wait to see Jamie’s story heard by more and more people. The film will premiere on Amazon Prime on September 17

2. Dear Evan Hansen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/GAkhz-mJQUY

It won a proverbial mass of Tony Awards and a trio at this year’s Olives, so it was inevitable that Pasek and Paul’s musical would make its way to the big screen. A release date has been revealed, as have a variety of cast members. Released in the UK on October 22, 2021.

3. History of the west side

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/e0gMCI-k6Ms

Theater and film greats Tony Kushner and Steven Spielberg are coming together to work on a new take on the classic musical from Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Leonard Bernstein. The cast is a mix of big movies and upcoming stars, and the first photos were very intriguing. Release date December 2021

4. Tic, Tic … Boom!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/SXGtcFI7PnM

Jonathan Larson (from TO RENT OUT glory) was the originator of this 2001 musical, about a young theater composer who works as a waiter. Lin-Manuel Miranda (because he’s not busy enough already …) made a film version for Netflix, while Andrew Garfield is directing the cast. Filming was cut short by the pandemic, but is now over – and a little clip has been teased. Fall 2021 release date

5. Mathilde

A lot of concrete information has come out very recently – including the cast (Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Sindhu Vee and Emma Thompson!) For the musical version of the Roald Dahl classic. Release date December 2022

6. nasty

This one has been around for some time now, and some would even say it’s a “Popular” choice. No casting information has yet been announced. Composer Stephen Schwartz has said he is writing new songs for the film and will begin production later this year with plans to film in 2022. Director Jon M Chu (In the heights) recently joined the show. Unconfirmed release date

7. A choir line

Fresh out of adaptation Prom For Netflix, Ryan Murphy will now tackle this longtime musical classic. The twist? Murphy will air the play over several episodes and present a meta-narrative of how the series itself came to be. Unconfirmed release date

8. Sunset Boulevard

Glenn Close made no secret of the fact that she was targeting a cinematic version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s film Sunset Boulevard, and teased that the movie is “ready” to start filming. Unconfirmed release date

9. Beautiful

Carole King’s musical ended in the West End a while back (she’s about to go on tour again), so talking about a film adaptation comes as no big surprise. The last time we heard (awhile ago!) Megastar Tom Hanks and Sony Pictures are set to produce the film, which will have the rights to King’s songs as well as those of Gerry Goffin, Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann. No release date announced at the moment

10. Guys and dolls

The last time we heard (in March 2019), TriStar Pictures bought the rights to not only Frank Loesser, Abe Burrows and the Tony Award-winning musical by Jo Swerling, but also the 1955 film version. and the original Damon Runyon short stories the musical is based on. Looks like they have big plans. No release date announced at the moment

11. Little shop of horrors

Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s 1986 film is such a mainstay in musical theater history that we can all hear you screaming, “Do we really need another one ?!” Well yes, yes we do, according to Menken himself anyway. Produced by Marc Platt (Bad) and directed by Greg Berlanti, the musical will feature a script by Matthew Robinson and is described as “a new take” of the 30-year-old film. From a casting perspective, everything is very exciting – Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans are apparently committed to the project. No release date announced at the moment

12. Madness

The award-winning musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman Follies is being adapted to the cinema. Dominic Cooke – who helmed the National Show’s acclaimed revival – is attached to the project, but there is no news of a cast or release date yet (Cooke also needs to tackle Hello Dolly! first!). Set in a crumbling theater where a reunited group of old Follie maids reflect on their lives and their heyday, the musical features acts such as “Losing My Mind” and “I’m Still Here”. No release date announced at the moment

13. Mean girls

Honestly, we weren’t expecting to have this one here, but we are looking forward to it nonetheless – a brand new cinematic version of a musical based on an original movie (it’s somewhat satisfying to see it come full circle. loop) was recently announced by Tina Fey. No release date announced at the moment

14. Violinist on the roof

HamiltonThomas Kail will be directing a brand new take on the iconic show, which he has vowed to deviate from the original. Count us intrigued! No release date announced at the moment

15. We ride happily

A Dream Team – Ben Platt, Beanie Feldstein, Blake Jenner – would take on Sondheim’s iconic musical, directed by Richard Linklater. The thing is, Linklater runs it in real time, that is, over a period of 20 years. It might take a little patience – especially since Ben Platt recently revealed that they’re going to have to start filming again. No release date announced yet, but it will be in the 2040s

16. Once on this island

Disney is reportedly working on a brand new take on the iconic musical, about a group of gods and inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. Get all the details. No release date announced at the moment

17. Come from afar

This one had been on the radar for some time, but suddenly the creators of the musical announced that they had rendered a draft script and were planning to launch the show from “non-Hollywood” types. We are waiting for more details! No release date announced at the moment

18. Fun house

Earlier this year, reports announced that Jake Gyllenhaal would star in a Fun house movie. The iconic show is powerful and it would be amazing to see it on screen. No release date announced at the moment

19. The group

How could we ever forget! The group is set to be made into a new musical film with a star-studded cast including Cush Jumbo and Rosamund Pike. Currently called The best days, the film will be directed by Coky Giedroyc (How to build a girl) with a screenplay written by Tim Firth and choreography by award-winning Drew McOnie (Jesus Christ Superstar). No release date announced at the moment

20. Cyrano

The iron Throne Star Peter Dinklage will once again take on the title role in this stage-to-screen adaptation of a show first seen off Broadway with favorable reviews in 2018. Its US release is scheduled for December 25, 2021. What a Christmas gift!

21. The color purple

The iconic musical is slated for a big screen release, with Blitz Bazawule in the director’s chair. The musical is based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning Alice Walker and tells the story of heroine Celie over 40 years as she finds her place in the world. It contains a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. No release date announced at the moment

22. Spamalot

The hit Broadway musical is heading to the big screen, with director Casey Nicholaw in the director’s chair. Huzzah! Release date to be confirmed.

23. The king and I

A remake is reportedly in the works, with a “contemporary and diverse perspective” on the expected Rodgers and Hammerstein material. Release date to be confirmed.

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