Features

Five musicals that need the big-screen treatment next

With Wicked on its way, here are five other musicals we’d love to see sent to the big screen

| Nationwide |

19 November 2024

john mincet adams — The current cast of Operation Mincemeat, © Matt Crockett

With Wicked about to launch on the big screen, it’s set to be a stellar moment for musicals on the big screen. With that in mind, we’ve assembled five shows we’d adore seeing getting the movie treatment next. What’s on your wishlist? Let us know on one of the many social media platforms.

Hadestown

hadeston — Grace Hodgett Young, Melanie La Barrie and Dónal Finn in Hadestown, © Marc Brenner

This Greek classics-meets-New Orleans epic musical retells the myths of Orpheus and Euridice and Hades and Persephone. Given the success of KAOS on Netflix, with Jeff Goldblum, as well as classics-inspired properties like Percy Jackson, we feel like Hadestown could really break through into the film world with whopper success. It’s running in the West End now though, if you wanted to catch it first.

Operation Mincemeat

“Wait – isn’t there a-?” Let me stop you there. The Colin Firth-led version of Operation Mincemeat is nothing like the award-winning musical about a dastardly plot to foil the Nazis, which has just put its Broadway run on sale. Imagine a globe-trotting comedy caper with a coterie of oddball characters and some high stakes. God, it’d be brilliant.

Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

New War and Peace film. Snore. New musical film filled with duelling, infidelity, war, treachery and romance? Right on. We’re imagining Dave Malloy’s musical, which is about to have its UK premiere, as a lovely chamber piece (similar to the Peter Dinklage-led Cyrano). There’re some real legs, and ear worms, to the idea. We promise.

Spring Awakening

sprawake 1 — Charlotte Wakefield, Jamie Muscato and Jack Wolfe in Spring Awakening, © Danny Kaan

Its revivals in London and Manchester, as well as the reunion concert, all went down a storm and the award-winning show has helped the careers of the likes of Lea Michelle, Jonathan Groff and Iwan Rheon. With songs like “Song of Purple Summer” and “Mama” being veritable earworms and a very contemporary message, it might make for a great, gritty, indy musical hit.

Hamilton

The rights to the filmed Broadway production started a bidding war before landing on Disney Plus, so lord knows how much studios may be willing to pay for the ability to adapt it for the big screen. But the play would make for a pretty spectacular historical masterpiece – with epic battles, heartbreak and loss. Perhaps now is the time to inspect the birth of America?