West Side Story

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the classic story of Sharks vs Jets is back on the big screen. The cast includes Ansel Elgort as Tony, Ariana Debose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Mike Faist as Riff, Original Anita, Rita Moreno as Valentina and newcomer Rachel Zegler as Maria.

West Side Story is set to premiere on December 18th, 2020.

In The Heights

The Lin-Manuel Miranda film In The Heights is adapted from the multi-Tony Award winning musical created by Miranda. Directed by Jon M.Chu, the musical adaptation focuses on the Manhattan neighborhood of Washington Heights and bodega owner Usnavi, as he struggles with the idea of where home is. The cast includes Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, Melissa Barrera as Vanessa, Stephanie Beatriz as Carla, Corey Hawkins as Benny, Daphne Rubin-Vega as Daniela, Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario, Leslie Grace as Nina, and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Piragua Guy.

In The Heights is set to premiere on June 18th, 2021.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie

An adaptation of the smash-hit British musical is coming to the big screen. Directed by Jonathan Butterell, Everybody's Talking About Jamie centers on Jamie New, a gay teen who struggles with embracing drag, due to judgement from their father and classmates. The cast includes Max Harwood as Jamie New, Lauren Patel as Pritti Pasha, Richard E. Grant as Hugo/Loco, Sharon Horgan as Miss Hedge, and Sarah Lancashire as Margaret New.

The film is set to hit movie theaters on January 22nd, 2021.

The Prom

The NYT Critics Pick is coming to Netflix! The Ryan Murphy adaptation based off the hit Broadway musical The Prom focuses on Emma, a teen lesbian who's world is turned upside-down when the announcement of taking her girlfriend to the school prom sends her small town in Indiana into a frenzy. The all-star cast includes Meryl Streep as Dee Dee Allen, James Corden as Barry Glickman, Andrew Rannells as Trent Oliver, Ariana DeBose as Alyssa, Nicole Kidman as Angie Dickinson, Kevin Chamberlin as Sheldon Saperstein and Jo Ellen Pellman as Emma.

The Prom currently has no release date but plans for a winter 2020 release.

Tick, Tick...Boom

Tick, Tick...Boom! is directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the Netflix adaptation has nearly wrapped filming. Before writing Rent and tragically dying in 1996, Jonathan Larson wrote Tick, Tick...Boom!. Though no Broadway production has happened, the musical has grown in popularity over the years due to the success of the smash-hit musical Rent. The cast includes Andrew Garfield as Jon, Vanessa Hudgens as Karessa, Alexandra Shipp as Susan, Jordan Fisher as Simon, Joshua Henry as Roger, Robin de Jesus as Michael, and Bradley Whitford as Stephen Sondheim.

No release date has been set for this Netflix movie.

Pre-Production

While no concrete release dates are set, here are two movie musicals that are in pre production:

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid, directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey, is the classic animated Disney movie retold in live-action form. The film was set to begin filming this summer but was stopped due to COVID-19. All your favorite songs including 'Part Of Your World' will return, along with new music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. The cast will include: Halle Bailey as Ariel, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric.

13

The Netflix adaptation of the Broadway musical 13 focuses on teenagers as they deal with turning 13. While no cast has been set yet, the original broadway cast included Ariana Grande, Elizabeth Gillies, and Graham Phillips, all before fame.

No release date has been set.

Dear Evan Hansen

In a recent 2020 interview with Deadline, Ben Platt stated that he would be putting on his Blue Polo once again for the Dear Evan Hansen movie. The role earned him a Tony and shot him into stardom. While not much else has been shown about the film. Platt said,

"Yes and no. If COVID allows it, it's on the docket for everyone and something that I think everyone is really looking to make. We think this is obviously a story that would be really effective to tell on film. But it's a matter of can we make it happen in time for me to be conceivably young [enough for the role]. If the [COVID] guidelines prove that it's possible over the next few months, I think it's definitely a possibility."

In Development

While some movies never make it out of development, here are some movie musicals you should look forward to in the future. The list includes: American Idiot, Bare: A Pop Opera, Be More Chill, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Color Purple, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Little Shop Of Horrors, Matilda, Mean Girls, Miss Saigon, Pippin, Spamalot, Spring Awakening, and Wicked.

The future of movie musicals is bright, from Washington Heights to under the sea. No matter what age, likes and dislikes, every musical fan will be excited for something on this list.