21 Popular Broadway Musicals That Are Going To Be Adapted Into Movies And We Can’t Wait
Nothing beats seeing a live stage show, but these films are going to have a much larger audience.
Broadway fans have plenty to look forward to, because a wave of stage-to-screen adaptations is already moving through production. From beloved classics to newer hits, these movies are bringing big musical numbers to a much wider audience.
That matters for anyone who has ever wanted to see a Broadway show without paying top-dollar ticket prices or traveling to New York. Some of these projects are already finished, while others are still in the works, and the lineup is packed with familiar titles.
Here are 21 Broadway musicals headed to the movies, and a few of them are especially exciting.
1. Dear Evan Hansen
The anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical stars Ben Platt and follows a high schooler who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after a classmate commits suicide.
2. Everybody's Talking About Jamie
It is an Amazon original, but the movie adaptation didn't get a theatrical release; however, it is available to stream. It's about a teenager who dreams of being a drag queen.
3. Tick, Tick … Boom!
This is the next much-anticipated Broadway movie, directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It features big names including Vanessa Hudgens, Andrew Garfield, and MJ Rodriguez.
It's about a New York theater composer who is nearing his 30th birthday.
That lineup alone is enough to get theater fans talking.
4. West Side Story
Steven Spielberg's West Side Story remake has been delayed multiple times. It stars Rachel Zegler and tells the tale of the longstanding feud between the Sharks and the Jets.
20th Century Fox5. Cyrano
It stars Peter Dinklage and is based on the Edmond Rostand play Cyrano de Bergerac. It tells the story of a man admired by his peers but who struggles with self-doubt due to his appearance.
6. Matilda
Yes! It's another Matilda movie, and it will be a musical produced by Netflix. It features big stars including No Time To Die's Lashana Lynch and Oscar-winner Emma Thompson.
Netflix
7. The Little Mermaid
The live-action film adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid stars big names like singer Halle Bailey as Ariel and acclaimed actors Melissa McCarthy and Javier Bardem.
@mermaidliveaction
8. The Color Purple
It will once again be a film adaptation and will be a musical that tells the tale of a Black woman in the South who endures abuse, racism, and other hardships.
@ericajanewms
9. 13
It is lesser-known and tells the story of a young Jewish boy who moves to a small town in Indiana after his parents' separation. The Netflix adaptation will most likely star Debra Messing, Rhea Perlman, and Josh Peck.
@youngbwaynews
10. The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
The musical comedy debuted on Broadway in 2005, but it is still in the development stage, so there aren't many details available.
@bygonebroadway
11. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
The successful Broadway musical will be adapted into a film produced by Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, and Paul Blake for Sony Pictures. It focuses on Carole's early life and showcases her songs as well.
Some of these projects already have serious star power behind them.
It’s like the moment you decide whether to refuse to lend your friend money for a last-minute concert ticket.
12. Guys and Dolls
This musical will receive a film adaptation, as Bill Condon is set to direct it for TriStar Pictures. It's a musical comedy about a gambler searching for a cheap location to host a game.
13. Gypsy
Amy Sherman-Palladino is adapting the Broadway classic, Gypsy, into a film that focuses on a stripper named Gypsy Rose Lee, with Gypsy's mother as the central character.
14. Mean Girls
The show first appeared on Broadway in 2017, but it is now set to be adapted into a movie. Tina Fey is responsible for the screenplay, while Arturo Perez Jr. and Samantha Jayne are the directors.
IMDb
15. Memphis
The musical has been adapted for film, inspired by the story of 1950s-era Memphis-based DJ Dewey Phillips. Creator Joe DiPietro is writing the film's screenplay.
@memphismusical
16. Miss Saigon
Hollywood director Danny Boyle is adapting this popular musical into a film, which tells the story of a young Asian woman left behind by her American lover.
The list keeps getting bigger, and the variety is part of the appeal.
17. South Pacific
This musical is a huge Broadway hit, featuring major names like Hugh Jackman, Justin Timberlake, and Michelle Williams in the project.
18. Oliver!
Ice Cube is partnering with Disney for the film adaptation of the musical Oliver! It will be directed by Hamilton's Thomas Kail.
19. Merrily We Roll Along
It will star Beanie Feldstein, Blake Jenner, and Ben Platt, but it will reportedly be filmed over the course of 20 years. It's about three friends and the changes in their lives and relationships.
Blumhouse
20. Wicked
The details of this one are scarce, but the film adaptation is in progress. It is the darker tale of The Wizard of Oz, told from the viewpoint of the Wicked Witch of the West before she turns evil.
@brittanyleigh411
21. Sunset Boulevard
The film adaptation of Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard stars Glenn Close and tells the story of a movie star who is silently yearning to return to the silver screen.
rickcaroto
The stories told on Broadway, as well as the art style and performances displayed, are absolutely fantastic. As a result, we believe that the film adaptations have the potential to enrich the lives of many people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to see these shows in person.
What are your thoughts about these Broadway adaptations? Let us know in the comments section.
Broadway fans have a lot to keep an eye on.
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