Hollywood has given us some amazing movie musicals and they aren’t stopping yet! Here are some of our most anticipated Broadway musicals that are going to hit the big screen!
Looking for a new show to enter you into a world of musical delight but can’t make it all the way to Broadway? You’ve come to the right place because there is a plethora of classic Broadway musicals that are coming to the big screen in the near future. Here is a list of the top 5 movie musicals adapted from Broadway shows that we absolutely cannot wait for!
The Color Purple
“In the early 1900s in rural Georgia, Celie is a teenager giving birth for the second time. When her father offers her to a local farmer in need of a woman to raise his children, she is torn from her beloved younger sister and begins to learn about the world outside her family’s humble residence. As years pass by, Celie becomes resigned to her unfortunate lot in life, but when newcomers Sofia and Shug enter and bring their fresh perspectives, she begins to understand that there must be more to life.”
Due in theaters this Christmas, The Color Purple features a seasoned cast of actors including Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Danielle Brooks as Sophia, along with Grammy winners Jon Batiste as Grady and Ciara as Adult Nettie, Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, H.E.R. as Squeak, and Halle Bailey as Young Nettie.
The film is a Warner Bros. production; the team boasts industry favorites such as Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, and Scott Sanders as producers. It is directed by the same name who directed Beyonce’s seminal album, Black is King, Blitz Bazawule.
Mean Girls
Omigod you guys! Mean Girls has had its fair reign in the film industry for a long time, but when the Broadway musical came out, it became a hit sensation for fans of the original movie. Mean Girls centers around Cady Heron, a naive girl who transfers to a suburban high school after living in Africa her whole life. She realizes that there is a clear hierarchy in social dynamics, which pressures her to join the leaders, the vicious group of girls known as the Plastics, who challenge Cady’s integrity and friendships as she loses herself in the delusion of popularity.
Paramount does it again and so does Tina Fey, who has reprised her role as screenwriter for the musical adaptation. Utilizing an ensemble cast of screen and stage favorites, the film will feature the performances of Renée Rapp, reprising her stage performance as queen bee Regina George; Jaquel Spivey and Auli’i Cravalho as Damien and Janis, respectively; Angourie Rice as Cady Heron, Avantika as Karen, and Bebe Wood as Gretchen. It will also include cameos from members of the original cast such as Tina Fey, Tim Meadows, and Ashley Park.
It’s currently in post-production and the release date is likely set for sometime in 2024–but we remain on the edge of our seats in the meantime!
Wicked
The two-part screen adaptation of Wicked will star Tony winner Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and pop star Ariana Grande as Glinda. West End Company Olivier winner and Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey is set to star as Fiyero, and SpongeBob SquarePants star Ethan Slater as Boq.
The new adaptation will include new songs by Stephen Schwartz and is being directed by In the Heights director Jon M. Chu.
The first installation of the two-part film will be released around Thanksgiving 2024, and the second is set to release at the same time in 2025. If you have somehow missed its 20-year run on Broadway in over 100 cities across the nation, here’s your chance to immerse yourself in this much-anticipated cultural experience, which just may change your life “for good.”
Guys and Dolls
Oscar-winning screenwriter Bill Condon will be taking on the immense challenge of remaking the hit musical Guys and Dolls to theaters. Originally released on Broadway all the way back in 1950, the movie musical, will include the score by Frank Loesser and follows a fly-by-night gambler who attempts to woo a Salvation Army missioner for a $1,000 bet. Meanwhile, a beleaguered showgirl tries to hook her fiancé of 14 years, the founder of “the oldest, established, permanent, floating crap game in New York.”
It has had numerous Broadway revivals in its run, and we love to see it. Not yet entered into the public domain, but many of us have been lucky enough to score seats to view it in local productions since its inception, making it a widely beloved story by people across generations.
Not yet set for release or casting, and very much in development since its IP acquisition in 2019, we are still highly anticipating the possibilities of this cinematic release. No more holdoffs, let’s get this show on the road!
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
“Based on The Farm’s original play C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee tells the tale of several socially awkward youngsters finding joy, heartache, and purpose in competing at the regional spelling bee.”
Originally released on Broadway in 2005, Spelling Bee has long held the hands and hearts of thespians and theater-goers across the nation. If you weren’t around for its Broadway run, you might have even gotten to see this production in your local high school theater, but if not, now is your chance! Disney is taking on the challenge of bringing our favorite spelling champions to the screen in the near future.
Spelling Bee features music and lyrics by William Finn, a book by Rachel Sheinkin, and was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss. It went on to earn six Tony Award nominations and won two. Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who oversaw the live-action Aladdin in 2019, will produce with Ryan Halprin as executive producer. The cast is yet to be released as the adaptation is still in development, but I don’t think we even need a well-known cast to execute such a conceptually-great musical. I would even be pleasantly surprised to see some newcomers added to the main cast, but that remains to be seen.
