Anyone watching television this week has probably viewed the onslaught of commercials for the Memorial Day weekend opening of Aladdin. It is the first of three major releases based on Broadway musicals that will hit the screens in 2019.
DISNEY’s ALADDIN
Release date: May 24, 2019.
Story summary: A poor young lad finds a lamp that will grant three wishes. Can he win the girl, defeat the villain, and become a better man?
Broadway pedigree: Disney’s Broadway adaptation opened in March of 2014 and is still running strong at the New Amsterdam Theatre more than 2,000 performances later. It was nominated for five Tony Awards® with James Monroe Iglehart winning for his featured performance as the Genie.
Notable Cast and Creatives: Will Smith will play the Genie, a role so memorably voiced by the late Robin Williams in the animated version. Other cast members include Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Jasmine), and Marwan Kenzari (Jafar). Directed by Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Sherlock Holmes) from a screenplay by John August and Guy Ritchie.
Comments: Expect a huge opening for this latest in a series of live-action adaptations of Disney animated films. Despite a mixed track record for director Guy Ritchie, optimism is high for a major box office hit (hence the prime holiday weekend release). While the familiar songs will be used (music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice), the screenplay is rumored to use a more sophisticated nonlinear storytelling approach.
DISNEY’S THE LION KING
Release date: July 19, 2019.
Story summary: A coming of age story about a young lion prince whose father is killed. As an adult, he must return from exile, assume his responsibilities, and reclaim the throne.
Broadway pedigree: The Lion King has been running on Broadway since the fall of 1997 (nearly 9,000 performances), as well as numerous national and international touring productions. It won six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical (Julie Taymor). It was renowned for his beautiful and innovative use of puppetry.
Cast: The animals are voiced by an A-list cast that includes Donald Glover (Simba), Beyoncé (Nala), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), and James Earl Jones reprising the voice of Mufasa. Jon Favreau directs from a screenplay by Jeff Nathanson.
Comments: Jon Favreau demonstrated a deft skill for a live action remake in his direction of The Jungle Book (2016). While the trailer shows amazing CGI visuals, the lack of any human characters may be challenging from a box office perspective. The original songs (music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice) will help draw in the crowds.
CATS
Release date: December 20, 2019
Story summary: This adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats features music from Andrew Lloyd Webber and costumed cast of singing and dancing cats. The Jellicle Cats must decide which one of their number will ascend and return back for a new life.
Broadway pedigree: The original Broadway production was a smash hit, playing for 7,485 performances from 1982-2000. Directed by Trevor Nunn, the biggest star turn came from Betty Buckley as Grizabella who sang the signature song “Memory.” [Local note: Ms. Buckley will be playing the lead in a touring production of Hello, Dolly! at the Kennedy Center from June 4 – July 7 this summer.]
Notable Cast and Creatives: Cast includes James Corden (Bustopher Jones), Judi Dench (Old Deuteronomy), Idris Elba (Macavity), Jennifer Hudson (Grizabella the Glamour Cat), Ian McKellen (Gus the Theatre Cat), Taylor Swift (Bombalurina), and Rebel Wilson (Jennyanydots). Accomplished British director Tom Hooper is best known for Les Misérables and The King’s Speech. Experienced Broadway choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (Cats revival, Hamilton, In the Heights, 9 to 5, just to name a few) will provide memorable dancing cat moves.
Comments: Expect more than just a filmed version of the famous musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber is writing at least one new song for the production. The film will use motion capture technology instead of furry costumes to create the human-feline hybrids. Despite the lack of a strong plot, could be a sleeper family hit during the holiday season.
DRAMAS
ALL IS TRUE
Probably the most adapted playwright of all time is William Shakespeare. A bio of his last days titled All is True directed by Kenneth Branagh (starring Branagh as Shakespeare and Judi Dench as Anne Hathaway) is currently playing in smaller movie theatres including E Street Cinema.
OPHELIA
Be on the lookout for Ophelia, a reimagining of the Hamlet story from her point of view. It stars Daisy Riddle (of Star Wars fame). IFC has the rights to this and will give it a limited theatrical release on June 22, 2019 and stream it starting July 2, 2019.
Additional 2019 Notes:
- You may someday see on Broadway Frozen II, the film sequel scheduled of release on November 22, 2019. It features music by the same married songwriting team of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez from the original film. The Broadway adaptation of Frozen has been going strong on Broadway since March of 2018.
- If you see The Addams Family on a list of upcoming films for October, it is a computer animated story, not an adaptation of the Broadway musical version that ran on Broadway in 2010-2011.
Future releases:
- In the Heights is scheduled for release on June 26, 2020. It is an adaptation of the Tony Award winning musical with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and a book by Quiara Alegria Hudes. It features multiple story lines about the residents of a Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan.
- A new West Side Story is scheduled from release on December 18, 2020. This adaptation of the classic work by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents will be directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Tony Kushner.
- Several musicals are in development for potential 2021 release. The most anticipated and certain to go into production is a film adaptation of Wicked. Universal Pictures had originally scheduled the film for a holiday release this year, but then bumped it back two years in favor of producing Cats. Wicked is scheduled for release on December 22, 2021.
The post In the Movies: Aladdin, Lion King, Cats plus two nods to the Bard appeared first on DC Theatre Scene.