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Upcoming Movie Musicals
Upcoming Movie Musicals

Movie Musicals Coming Soon to Streaming and Theatres

2021 was the year of the movie musical, with film releases like In the Heights, tick, tick…BOOM! and West Side Story, just to name a couple. This year, there are a few others to keep an eye out for, like 13 and Matilda the Musical! Check out when these will be released, and a few other movie musicals coming up.


Movie Musicals Coming Soon

13: The Musical

Eli Golden and the Cast of 13: The Musical
Eli Golden and the Cast of 13: The Musical.

Based on the Jason Robert Brown musical that introduced us to names like Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gilles, 13: The Musical is coming to Netflix this August in a new film adaptation. The cast includes acting veterans like Debra Messing, Josh Peck, and Rhea Perlman alongside a cast of young newcomers playing the young NYC teens. Make sure to load it up on your Netflix queue when it premieres on August 12, 2022. A teaser of the film is featured here.


Pinocchio 

Tom Hanks in Pinocchio.

There’s a new screen adaptation of Pinocchio on the way! Starring Tony Award nominee and entertainment legend Tom Hanks as Gepetto and Tony Award winner Cynthia Erivo as the Blue Fairy, the live-action adaptation of Pinocchio will premiere on Disney+ September 8, 2022, featuring beloved songs like “When You Upon A Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings” as well as new songs by Glen Ballard. Watch the teaser trailer here.


Matilda the Musical

Alisha Weir in Matilda the Musical.
Alisha Weir in Matilda the Musical.

An adaptation of the musical written by Denis Kelly and with a musical score by Tim Minchin is heading to Netflix. Directed by Matthew Warchus, who directed the stage musical, and originally based on the Roald Dahl novel, Matilda the Musical tells the beloved story of Matilda Wormwood, an extraordinary girl, with a vivid imagination, who dares to take a stand to change her story with miraculous results. Starring Emma Thompson as the villainous Miss Trunchbull, the Netflix musical movie will premiere this winter. Watch the teaser trailer here.


The Little Mermaid

A live-action version of The Little Mermaid is coming to theaters next year. Starring Halle Bailey as Ariel, alongside Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs and Tony Award nominee Noma Dumezweni, the new film adaptation will include the original iconic songs by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, as well as new tunes written by Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Disney’s The Little Mermaid will hit movie theaters May 26, 2023.


The Color Purple

Danielle Brooks and Fantasia, Stars of The Color Purple.
Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino, Stars of The Color Purple.

Based on the musical adaptation that premiered on Broadway in 2005 and was revived to great acclaim in 2015, The Color Purple will come to the big screen in December 2023. Starring Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Danielle Brooks as Sofia, reprising the role they played on Broadway, The Color Purple cast includes names like Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Taraji P. Henson, and H.E.R. Make a “joyful noise” when the movie musical is released December 20, 2023.


Wicked

 

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After nearly two decades since it first opened on Broadway, the world “rejoicified” when it was announced that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande would be playing Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, in Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movie. A sense of bewilderment was brought on when it was later announced that the movie would be split into two parts, with the first part releasing in December 2024 and the second in December 2025. A lot remains to be seen with these films, such as further casting and a first look at the “witches,” but everyone in the theater world greatly anticipates its release.


Movie Musicals In Development

While these are the movie musicals with official casting announcements and release dates set, there are multiple musicals with film adaptations rumored or confirmed to be in development.

It was announced last summer that Bill Condon would direct a new film adaptation of Guys and Dolls but little information has been released since. Disney has also announced multiple musical projects including film adaptations of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Once on This Island.

Thomas Kail, best known as the Tony Award-winning director of Hamilton, is also attached to some film adaptations. While it’s been a few years since both were announced Kail is set to direct remakes of Oliver! and Fiddler on the Roof. Danny Strong is set to pen the screenplay for Oliver!, which will star Ice Cube as Fagin, and Steven Levenson will write the screenplay for Fiddler on the Roof.

Chris Evans made headlines recently when he addressed the remake of Little Shop of Horrors that was rumored to be in development, with him starring alongside Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, and Billy Porter. Evans speaking with MTV News said he was set to begin filming in 2020, but the project ended up being scrapped during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maybe with enough fans pleading, the project could be picked up once again!

Mean Girls is also set to hit screens once again, this time bringing the musical adaptation to film audiences. It was announced in September 2021 that husband-wife duo Arturo Perez Jr. and Samantha Jayne will direct Mean Girls the Musical which will be produced by Lorne Michaels and Tina Fey, with the Broadway creative team on board featuring a screenplay by Fey, music by Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. No information has been released since but we can’t wait to see who will make the “world burn” on screen.

Other notable movie musicals in the works include Be More Chill, The King and IFlower Drum SongFolliesGypsyMerrily We Roll Along starring Beanie Feldstein and Ben Platt, Porgy and Bessand Spamalot.


We can’t wait for these musicals to come to screens both big and small, but until they do, check out our streaming guide for all the theater you can watch now!