Nov. 21 (UPI) — Wicked: For Good, opening in theaters Friday and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is the latest film to draw its inspiration from a stage musical based on a book.
Based on the 2003 musical from Stephen Schwartz, the 2024 movie Wicked adapted Act One of the stage production, while For Good brings to life Act Two.
The musical itself is inspired by the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which imagines the origin story of Elphaba and Glinda, known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. That movie is based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum.
For Good, which stars Erivo as Elphaba and Grande as Glinda, follows Elphaba’s quest to ensure the people of Oz know that Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard is not who he says he is.
The feature also stars Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater.
Peter Dinklage attends the premiere of the biographical comedy “Unfrosted” in 2024. He also stars in “Cyrano.” File Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI
Here are nine other films based on musicals that were inspired by literature.
‘The Wiz’
Anne Hathaway arrives on the red carpet at the Met Gala in May. She won an Oscar for her role in “Les Miserables.” File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
The 1978 feature, based on the musical penned by William F. Brown and Charlie Smalls four years earlier, is another adaptation of Frank L. Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Diana Ross portrays Dorothy in the film, which also stars Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Mabel King, Theresa Merritt, Thelma Carpenter, Lena Horne, Richard Pryor and Stanley Greene.
Emmy Rossum arrives on the red carpet at Apple TV+’s “The Crowded Room” New York premiere in 2023. She stars in “Phantom of the Opera.” File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
“A shy Harlem schoolteacher makes an epic journey through a magical version of New York City in this musical inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” an official synopsis reads.
Ross and King also starred in the stage show.
Catherine Zeta-Jones arrives for the Primetime Emmy Awards in September. She stars in “Chicago.” File Photo by Chris Chew/UPI
‘Cyrano’
The 2021 musical drama takes its inspiration from the 2018 musical by Erica Schmidt. The original play, Cyrano de Bergerac, was penned by Edmond Rostand in 1897.
Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage stars in the movie adaptation. He portrays the titular character, a writer who harbors unrequited feelings for Haley Bennett’s Roxanne.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. portrays Christian, the object of Roxanne’s affection.
“My fate is to love her from afar,” Dinklage says in the trailer.
Pride & Prejudice filmmaker Joe Wright directed the film.
‘Les Miserables’
Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel was adapted as a musical in 1980 before becoming a film in 2012.
Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe star as Fantine, Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert, respectively, and the feature soundtrack topped domestic charts at the time.
Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen also star.
“Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Miserables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption — a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit,” an official synopsis reads.
‘The Phantom of the Opera’
The 2004 feature was inspired by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel.
“Deep in the passageways below the Paris Opera lives a lonely, talented, horribly disfigured man who revels in terrorizing the theater’s employees as The Phantom of the Opera,” an official synopsis reads. “But when the masked Phantom sees young Christine Daae, his heart melts. He secretly trains her, transforms her into a star… and loves her.”
Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson star.
‘Chicago’
The 2002 film starring Rene Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere was adapted from the 1975 musical from Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. The stage play took its inspiration from Maurine Dallas Watkins’ 1926 play of the same name.
John C Reilly, Lucy Liu and Queen Latifah also star in the movie adaptation.
“Chicago follows the story of a small-time chorus dancer called Roxie Hart who will kill for fame. After doing just that, she lands behind bars alongside vaudeville star Velma Kelly, who, with the help of hotshot lawyer Billy Flynn, has spun her crime into a media frenzy,” an official synopsis reads.
‘Cabaret’
Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin served as the inspiration for the 1966 musical Cabaret and the 1972 film adaptation to follow.
Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem, Joel Grey, Fritz Wepper, Marisa Berenson, Elisabeth Neumann-Viertel, Helen Vita, Sigrid von Richthofen and Gerd Vespermann star in the feature.
“Inside the Kit Kat Club of 1931 Berlin, starry-eyed singer Sally Bowles (Minnelli) and an impish emcee (Grey) sound the clarion call to decadent fun, while outside a certain political party grows into a brutal force,” an official synopsis reads.
‘My Fair Lady’
Alan Jay Lerner’s 1956 musical adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion ultimately served as the inspiration for the 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison.
Professor Higgins (Harrison) endeavors to transform Eliza Doolittle (Hepburn) from a working woman “into a sophisticated lady through proper tutoring,” the official description says.
“But when the humble flower girl blossoms into the toast of London society, her teacher may have a lesson or two to learn himself,” the synopsis continues.
‘Flower Drum Song’
The 1957 novel penned by Chin Yang Lee served as the inspiration for the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, which was ultimately adapted into the 1961 film.
Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Benson Fong, Jack Soo, Juanita Hall, Reiko Sato and Miyoshi Umeki star in the feature, the only film to star a mostly-Asian American cast until The Joy Luck Club over 30 years later.
The story follows Mei Li’s arrival in San Francisco for her arranged marriage to Sammy Fong. However, Fong isn’t interested in his fiance as he “has his eye on his star singer Linda Low,” the synopsis states.
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