5 movies that should become Broadway musicals

Mean Girls is one of the most recent Hollywood films to make its Broadway debut. Here are five more movies that should be turned into musicals of their own.

On Apr 8, Broadway opened its doors and embraced pink and snarky one-liners. Mean Girls the musical officially premiered at the August Wilson Theatre in New York.

It follows the footsteps of other recent movie-to-musical adaptations such as Legally Blonde and The School of Rock.

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Some of the most beloved Broadway productions have come from films, such as Hairspray (based on the John Waters film) and The Lion King (based on the Disney classic). There are also more movie adaptations on the way to Broadway. Some films that are getting the musical treatment are Beetlejuice, Clueless, and Tootsie.

If done right, a musical adaptation of a movie can be both a critical and commercial success.

There are plenty of films that could make an entertaining musical, though some work more than others. Here are 5 movies that should become Broadway musicals:

1. Napoleon Dynamite

Released in 2004, Napoleon Dynamite has a cult following. This comedy film centers around the life of an awkward teen. Like Mean Girls, Napoleon Dynamite has plenty of well-known one-liners.

If it sticks to the quirky script of the film and casts the right actors, I think it could be a hilarious Broadway show. It has a fan-base that most likely would go and see a musical adaptation.

The film has an iconic dance scene that I think would translate very well on stage. Napoleon Dynamite also has a prom sequence that could lead itself to a big song and dance number.

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2. The Princess Diaries

If you’re a female in your mid-twenties like me, this film is a classic. The movie tells the improbable tale of an awkward teenager who learns she is a princess.

The Princess Diaries is an adaptation of Meg Cabot’s novel of the same name. Cabot herself has advocated for a musical of the story.

The film includes a short musical number that could be in the musical. The main character, Mia, is  in choir at school, another opportunity for songs. Besides those scenes, the film has other moments that could be musical numbers. Mia’s princess training could be a musical montage, for example.

3. The Breakfast Club

Considering the cultural impact of the film, it is surprising it isn’t on Broadway.  There have been local and parody productions, but not an official Broadway musical.

If you don’t already know, The Breakfast Club follows a group of individuals, all vastly different  from each other, on a day of detention. The plot is simple but delves into the complex topics of adolescence and becoming who you really are, themes that would work well on Broadway.

The characters are over-the-top in their own ways, which works great for the stage. Since it all takes place in a high school, the film would be easy to bring to the theater.

4.  Pitch Perfect

Pitch Perfect is filled with and centered around music, so it makes perfect sense for it to be a Broadway musical. The film follows college freshman, Becca, who becomes a member of an all-girl acapella group

The movie has both covers and an original song. The musical adaptation could include these songs and also add new original numbers. Pitch Perfect is one of the most fitting films to be adapted into a Broadway show.

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5. Edward Scissorhands

There’s something about Tim Burton’s type of camp that makes it a perfect Broadway fit. The over- the-top production design and characters just scream theater.

Another Burton film, Beetlejuice, is being made into a musical, so it is definitely possible to bring his films to the stage. Plus, there was already a dance production of the film,so why not add singing?

What movies would you like to see turned into Broadways productions? LET USB know in the comments below.