Musical fans are having a good year. The most-talked-about film this year isn't a Marvel movie or an action film: It's a musical. Netflix's number one movie right now is KPOP Demon Hunters, while excitement has been building for Wicked: For Good.
For many theatre fans, they fell in love with musicals not through a Broadway show, but through a movie musical—whether it was a classic MGM film or a Disney movie (such as this writer). And these newer movie musicals are no doubt inspiring a whole new generation of Broadway babies (even if they don't know it yet).
But every time a musical that originated on film takes off, there's the inevitable question: When will it come to the stage? Just note the excitement whenever Disney announces a new stage adaptation of one of their films. As any Broadway fan knows, putting a movie on the stage is usually very tricky, and the process many times takes years. So we did some digging, and here are the stage status of some popular movie musicals
KPOP Demon Hunters
"Golden" from KPOP Demon Hunters has joined the ranks of "Let It Go" from Frozen and "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Encanto as the song that kids can't stop singing over and over again, and parents can't ever turn off. So naturally, there has been enthusiasm for a stage adaptation of the Netflix animated movie musical about pop stars who save the world from evil demons; fans really want to hear "Golden" (and that A5 high note) sung live. Well, Netflix is working on it, they are considering sequel to the film as well as a stage adaptation. It's still in the ideation phase. But considering their first foray into a Broadway show, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, has been well-received, you can be assured the streaming giant is taking the notion of a stage musical very seriously.
The Greatest Showman
When The Greatest Showman was first released in 2017, movie critics dismissed it as being an over-sanitized look at the life of P.T. Barnum. But what they did agree on: the songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul slapped. So much so that when Disney announced in 2024 they were finally developing a stage musical version of The Greatest Showman, fans were in a frenzy: Will Jeremy Jordan (who sang on the demos for the movie soundtrack) finally get to play P.T. Barnum? We don't know about that, but the news so far is promising: Earlier this year, it was announced Casey Nicholaw will direct the musical, Pasek and Paul have begun writing new songs, and there's even a rough date for the world premiere: spring 2026. So mark your calendars in 2026 for the greatest show.
La La Land
Pasek and Paul have truly become one of Hollywood's go-to songwriting teams for movie musicals. It's no wonder since they won the Oscar (with composer Justin Hurwitz) for their song "City of Stars" from the 2016 movie musical La La Land. So naturally, if they won an Academy Award for La La Land, surely they can win a Tony if that title, about an actress and a jazz musician trying to achieve their dreams in Los Angeles, ever comes to the stage. Well in 2023, it was announced that La La Land the stage musical is in development with Bartlett Sher as its director. Unfortunately, there have been no further updates. But if you want to hear the score of La La Land live, Hurwitz has been been touring La La Land in Concert (with a planned stop at Radio City Music Hall). Here's to the ones who dream.
A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born is complicated. Because there have been four film versions of that story, three of which were movie musicals, anyone adapting into a stage musical must decide: do you adapt the Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, or Lady Gaga version? Well, in 2017, it was announced that Bill Condon (of the Chicago and Dreamgirls films) was working on a stage adaptation of the Garland film, though nothing has since come of it. And while Lady Gaga has expressed interest in writing a Broadway musical, there have been no definite news about her version of Star Is Born coming to the stage. In short, we're far from the shallows now, and a Star Is Born musical.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas is the perfect holiday film, something you can put on for Halloween and Christmas. For an industry that loves a holiday show, it's surprising Nightmare has not been turned into a stage musical, something that can be an easy moneymaker for two holidays. If Tim Burton's Beetlejuice can be a musical, why not Nightmare, which already has music? Unfortunately, there have been no attempts by Disney, who owns the property, to turn the frightful tale about a skeleton who attempts to become Santa Claus into a stage musical (and that's also unlikely to happen since Burton reportedly dislikes the Beetlejuice stage musical). Though there was a benefit reading last year featuring Michael Cerveris as Jack Skellington, and next month, composer Danny Elfman will lead a concert version of Nightmare in Los Angeles. Unfortunately, like La La Land, the only place (for now) you will be able to hear the movie's songs live will be at a concert.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
After 2008's Mamma Mia! movie became the highest-grossing movie adaptation of a Broadway musical ever (before being supplanted by Wicked), Universal financed a sequel, which included more ABBA songs, hijinks in Greece, and a cameo by Cher. But, despite Universal's film catalogue making its way to Broadway (such as the current hit Death Becomes Her), there have been no moves yet to adapt Mamma Mia 2 for the stage. So for now, if you want your Mamma Mia! stage fix, you can go see the revival of the musical at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre.
Encanto
"We Don't Talk About Bruno," unless it's to wonder if the Disney animated film Encanto is coming to the stage. Besides a Hollywood Bowl concert, which is streamable on Disney+, the tale about a Colombian family with magical powers has not had any stage musical adaptation (not even a Disney cruise ship show). There's not a lack of enthusiasm; composer Lin-Manuel Miranda said that while he can't imagine a Moana stage show, he can see it for Encanto. He even has a finale song written. We may have to wait on a miracle to see Encanto on Broadway. So in the meantime, the New York Philharmonic is performing the Encanto score next summer.
Labyrinth
Even since David Bowie showed up in a shaggy wig and tight pants in the 1986 Jim Henson movie musical Labyrinth, he inspired a generation of kids to "dance, magic dance." And considering the superstar had composed his own live stage musical, Lazarus, it's natural to wonder if Labyrinth would ever come to the stage. Well in 2018, Henson's son, Brian, did say that a Labyrinth stage show was in the works, though he did add there was no timeline for them. So anyone who wants to hear Labyrinth live will just have to go to Labyrinth in Concert.
The Muppet Movie
Speaking of Jim Henson, his Muppets are making their Broadway debut beginning October 28, when they will be part of Rob Lake Magic with Special Guests The Muppets. But that begs the question: Will we see their movie musicals on the stage, such as The Muppet Movie or The Muppets Take Manhattan. Well, Henson himself wanted the Muppets in a live theatre; he even created a show for Lincoln Center, which never got off the ground. Then there was another attempt to create a Muppets live musical back in 2013 that also fizzled out. But hopefully, the Muppets' collaboration with illusionist Rob Lake will show the Mouse that there is an appetite to see Kermit, Miss Piggy, and their friends live.
P.S.: Just to save you the confusion, Disney's Moana and Tangled are not on this list because both are stage shows on Disney's cruise ships, and the former actually has a Jr version available to license.
And if you want to know which movie adaptations of Broadway musicals are coming up next, check out Playbill's handy (and ever-updated list).
