From screen to stage: films being made into theatre shows

Sleepless, Wembley Troubadour Theatre

From a radio helpline to an Empire State Building rendezvous, it doesn't get much more romantic than 1993 film Sleepless in Seattle. Now Nora Ephron's classic love story comes to life as a new stage musical. Sleepless premieres at Wembley's Troubadour Theatre. It follows Sam, a sleepless widower who opens up about his sadness on a national radio show. When women all around America fall in love with this brave man, plucky journalist Annie decides to cover the story, but ends up becoming a part of it.

The Devil Wears Prada Musical

It's been over a decade since Meryl Streep's ice-cold turn as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada hit the big screen, but some of the movie's most cutting barbs are still bandied around between fashion folk, albeit with tongue firmly in cheek.

So it's little wonder that The Devil Wears Prada is joining Amélie, Back to the Future and Bring it On as the latest cult movie to be given a musical makeover, with a new production due to open in Chicago in 2021 before transferring first to Broadway and then, later, London.

Pretty Woman the Musical, Piccadilly Theatre

Rags to riches romance comes to London as the musical theatre adaptation of 1990 rom-com Pretty Woman transfers to the West End after opening on Broadway. The sex-worker 'saved' by rich white man plot may prove more controversial 20 years since the movie came out.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Piccadilly Theatre

Get ready for spectacular spectacular: the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge is transferring to London after impressing on Broadway

Based on Baz Luhrmann's Oscar-winning film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical transports audiences to bohemian romance in Montmartre with a medley of pop's greatest hits.

Mean Girls Musical

Get ready for a plastic invasion: the Mean Girls Musical is finally coming to London after winning rave reviews and 12 Tony nominations on Broadway.

With Mean Girls screenwriter turned comic superstar Tina Fey behind the play script, it's no surprise that the show lives up to the hype of the 2004 film.

Back to the Future Musical

Great Scott! After a seven year development process, the stage adaption of Back to the Future has a confirmed premiere. The new musical based on beloved 1985 movie opens in Manchester in February 2020, before transferring to the West End (the theatre is still to be announced).

The film's many fans will be please to note that Back to the Future the musical is reuniting the original movie production team: co-writer and producer Bob Gale, Composer Alan Silvestri and co-writer and director Robert Zemeckis are all involved in bringing the time travelling adventure to the stage.

Disney's Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Elsa told us to 'Let it go,' but we simply can't. We're still obsessed with Frozen.

And now the stage adaptation comes from Broadway. Featuring music and lyrics by multi-award winning duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, with a book by Jennifer Lee, Frozen on stage channels the same soaring hits and feminist plot as the beloved film. The show is helmed by some of the biggest names in theatre. Former head of the Donmar Warehouse Michael Grandage directs, Tony-winner Christopher Oram magics up the glittering costumes and multi-award-winning Rob Ashford is in charge of choreography.

The Prince of Egypt, Dominion Theatre

DreamWorks’ 1998 animation film The Prince of Egypt, gifted us one of the most memorable original movie scores of all time. Ballads such as When You Believe tell the story from the bible's Book of Exodus, in which Moses leaves his opulent life as an Egyptian prince to lead the Israelites out of the country. And who can forget that time Ralph Fiennes showed off his steely vocals as the cruel Pharaoh Rameses.

Fans of the film were no doubt bitterly disappointed by the lack of sing-along action in the 2014 feature film Exodus: Gods and Kings which dramatises the same story. But now, a new musical based on the animation will come to the West End so Londoners can enjoy the film’s long overdue stage adaptation.