Musicals set for film adaptations

Christmas is a time to look forwards! With that in mind, here are all the stage shows primed for the big-screen. Which one are you interested in seeing?

We’ve run many versions of this article, so this one only includes the most recent updates – you can click back to see what might still be coming (and what is likely to have ended up on the cutting room floor, according to reports).

Kiss of the Spider Woman 

We’ve been screaming out for a revival of the Kander and Ebb musical, but a film will whet the appetite in the meantime. Directed by Bill Condon, the film stars Jennifer Lopez as Ingrid Luna, Diego Luna as Valentin Arregui, and Tonatiuh as Luis Molina. Set in an Argentinian prison during the Dirty War, the story follows the unlikely bond between Molina, a gay hairdresser, and Valentin, a Marxist revolutionary, as they navigate the harsh realities of political imprisonment. The film will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025.

Wicked: For Good

Why do we have to wait so long! The Wicked sequel, once more directed by Jon M Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox with songs by Stephen Schwartz, will follow Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship as they embrace their new identities and the consequences of their actions. There are some musical BANGERS in part two we cannot wait to hear – with the film based on the stage show’s second half. It stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. The film is set for release on 21 November 2025.

Merrily We Roll Along

The hotly anticipated film is based on the 1981 stage musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. Directed by Richard Linklater, the film stars Paul Mescal as Franklin Shepard, Ben Platt as Charley Kringas, and Beanie Feldstein as Mary Flynn. The story follows Franklin Shepard, a talented Broadway composer who abandons his friends and career to become a Hollywood producer, and is told over the course of 20 years in reverse chronological order. The problem? It’s also being shot over a similar timespan – so lord knows when it’ll come out!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Jon M Chu is going to be the saviour of musical movies, with Wicked and In the Heights already under his belt. He is also set to direct a new film adaptation of the famed musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for Amazon Studios, reuniting with his producing partner Scott Sanders to develop and shoot the musical. The screenplay for the film is written by Dana Fox, and the production will feature the iconic music by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber – and possibly some new tunes thrown in for good measure.

Guys and Dolls

Luck would be on our side if this was all true, but there is reportedly a new Guys and Dolls film being directed by Rob Marshall for Sony’s TriStar Pictures. Marshall and John DeLuca are writing the script with John Requa and Glenn Ficarra. Would any new stars be able to fill Brando and Sinatra’s shoes?

On Your Feet!

Wouldn’t this be mega – a new On Your Feet! film is apparently being directed by Lissette Feliciano. The adaptation of the Broadway musical tells the story of Gloria and Emilio Estefan, featuring their biggest hits like “Rhythm is Gonna Get You” and “Get On Your Feet”.

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