Musicals based on movies have become increasingly popular in recent years. From Beetlejuice to Back to the Future to The Lion King, the simple idea of seeing a movie be brought into a live environment is intriguing for any audience. But, of course, some movies are better suited to the stage show format than others.
However, many famous films still have yet to be brought to the stage, and some have immense potential for a great show. Such films contain dramatic themes that could be expanded into songs, with larger-than-life stories that could lead to breathtaking special effects. There are certain films that, if adapted in a suitable format, would make for unique theatrical experiences.
Chicken Run (2000)
The film that put Aardman Animation on the map tells the story of chickens attempting to escape a farm that resembles a P.O.W. They seem to be in luck when a rooster claiming to fly lands on their doorstep, hoping to get them ready before the farmer bakes them all into pies.
Of course, there are questions that should be taken into account; how does one portray this story on stage? Puppets? Humans with chicken makeup? It is a difficult task, but one with strong potential to become something exceptional.
Scream (1996)
This horror franchise has dissected the tropes of modern horror films for nearly 30 years, as self-aware characters follow the rules to try to survive. If an entry in the franchise would be set for the stage, whether grand and stylized on Broadway or small and intimate off-Broadway, it could be both a great horror musical and an excellent dissection of horror musicals and plays.
Horror theatre is somewhat niche even on the great white way, but there is more than enough material to satirize and analyze. If nothing else, the image of Ghostface calling and prowling around the theatre could make for an intensely frightening image.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Tim Burton films have been adapted for the stage before, so it only makes sense to bring his poem-turned-film to the stage. The film itself already has a haunting soundtrack, with songs that effectively tell the story. In a sense, that work is already done. Translating some of the most iconic visuals in stop-motion animation is where the real challenge would be.
But just imagining it sounds impressive. Perhaps the opening number staged with creatures assembling through the audience, set design that could switch from Halloween to Christmas and back, makeup or puppetry for Jack Skellington, Sally, Oogie, and all the unique creatures of Halloween Town. The possibilities are endless.
Hugo (2011)
It’s the tale of a boy living in a train station in Paris who inadvertently changes the lives of those around him. He has assembled the pieces to an automaton belonging to a famous film director who happens to be working at that very station.
The film already has many striking, theatrical visuals and focuses heavily on the creations of Georges Melies. The man was already a showman on the stage before becoming a film director, so why not create a musical that harkens to his style and sensibilities? Seeing his creations, Hugo’s dreams, and the image of a snow-covered train station come to life before the audience’s eyes would be the stuff dreams are made of.
Lady Bird (2017)
The tale of a girl navigating her life is something that hasn’t been seen on the great white way in a while, but this award-winning film is primed for it. While the story itself might not scream “Broadway,” being a slice-of-life drama about an eccentric teenage girl living in Sacramento, California, it does hold the elements of a powerful piece of theatre.
It has memorable characters, not much reliability on set pieces, and a compelling relationship between Lady Bird and her mother. Especially since the film does have a connection to musical theatre – the main characters put on a production of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along.
Rocketman (2019)
Jukebox musicals have been one of the most prominent types of shows to hit Broadway in recent years. So it’s only fair the biopic film based on the life of a man who’s already composed for Broadway should bring him back.
The film deals with Elton John’s life and his search for love, all the while his life is told as a musical with bright, flashy set-pieces, stylized visuals, and people breaking into song and dance at the flip of a hat. It’s already primed for a stage adaptation; hopefully, it’s not going to be a long, long time.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
If Doc Brown and Marty can get a musical, why not the Wyld Stallyns? Two high school slackers travel through time to pass a history report and save the universe. Our two heroes are musicians, albeit terrible ones, so watching their tastes and horizons grow on their journey would make for a most excellent soundtrack.
A potential special effect could be the phone booth floating above the audience, projections all around the theatre resembling the circuits of time. The film’s ending already takes place on the stage of a high school, so it displays a strong theatrical sensibility.
Forrest Gump (1994)
The Oscar-winning classic of a simple-minded man moving throughout his life and inexplicably witnessing the world changing around him. The dramatic potential is already present, but changing the environment to fit each time period could make this a sight to behold.
As Forrest moves throughout the years, perhaps the music style could change with him, from 1950s do-wop to 60s psychedelia. Likewise, the set could move, change and rust through each decade, with only the actors remaining physically the same. A worthy adaptation, if given the right mix of experimental craft and nostalgia, that made the film so memorable.
Labyrinth
A young girl who needs to save her baby brother from a tribe of goblins living in a magical land is a story primed for the stage. The film is a cult classic in no small part thanks to David Bowie, Jim Henson puppets, and a script by Terry Jones.
Bowie wrote and performed many songs for the film, so there’s plenty of material to work with for the music. Of course, replicating all the grotesque but charming Henson creatures will prove to be a challenge, but if done right could be something Broadway has never seen before.