Amazon, Disney both at work on musicals

Lin-Manuel Miranda is Alexander Hamilton in “Hamilton”, the filmed version of the original Broadway production. Image: courtesy of Disney+ via AFP Relaxnews

From Broadway to Shakespeare, the current trend for musicals is drawing in the big studios. Amazon and Disney have already onboarded two different projects, one inspired by “Macbeth” and the other an adaptation of a Broadway hit.

“Hamilton” was a sensational hit for Disney+ at the beginning of July. Since then, studios seem to be accumulating musical projects.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is now adapting “Once On This Island”, which ran on Broadway in 1990.

The streaming platform has also signed Marc Platt, the producer behind some of Broadway’s biggest hits, including “Wicked” and “La La Land”, to the project.

While “Hamilton” was a recording of the stage production, “Once On This Island” is expected to be a more traditional live-action adaptation, hints The Hollywood Reporter. The story is based on a young girl who falls in love with an aristocrat, defying social norms, in the Antilles, while the gods of the island bet among themselves to see which is stronger, love or death. No filming dates have been released for the moment.

Amazon is following the musical trend as well with a musical based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Macbeth”, in which Macbeth and his wife murder the Scottish king to take over the kingdom, but must then deal with the corrosive psychological effects of ambition and violence. The plot of Amazon’s as-yet-untitled project is reportedly centered on a teenaged girl who is forced to examine her ethics when confronted with the consequences of her ambition.

According to the report, S.J. Inwards will write the screenplay and John McPhail will direct the feature, which seems to be directed at a younger public. “Magic Mike” actor Channing Tatum will co-produce alongside Scooter Braun. CL

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