As far as I’m concerned, The Warriors is one of the best ‘70s movies, and remains a timeless cult classic that showcases the streets of New York City better than any other film. So imagine how stoked I was upon learning that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man who gave the world the Tony-winning phenomenon Hamilton, created a concept soundtrack album alongside Eisa Davis based on the gritty crime drama. And you can imagine how bummed I was upon reading that the Tony Award winner doesn’t plan to bring Warriors to Broadway at this time.
Ever since I started listening to the album, which features performances from the likes of Phillipa Soo, Nas (who produced), Ms. Lauryn Hill, Colman Domingo, Ghostface Killah and more, I’ve been thinking that this would not only be a great stage production, but it would also make for a fantastic musical film. Let me explain…
I Totally Get Why Lin-Manuel Miranda Turned Warriors Into A Concept Album Instead Of A Broadway Musical
When speaking with Playbill ahead of the album’s release, Lin-Manuel Miranda explained that one of the biggest challenges of making a musical that has a lot of action in addition to songs was the fact that those elements take up the same storytelling real estate on stage, something that’s not as big of a problem with an album:
And so and yet doing it as an album kind of freed us from that, because we were like, ‘Okay, if we didn't have to worry about staging this, how would we score it?’ And we kind of landed on an ‘everything at the wall’ strategy. Some of the fight sequences are musical montages some of them are scored Union Square, we bring samples from earlier in the film around.
And it makes total sense, especially with a story as complex as Warriors with all its wild musical numbers, massive cast, and reinterpretations of one of the best action movies of all time. However, I’d still love to see this go from a concept album to joining the list of offbeat musical films down the road.
There Has Long Been Talk Of A Warriors Remake, And Think This Musical Approach Is A Great Way Of Doing That
The Warriors is one of the great action movies that never got a sequel, but there have been all kinds of remake-related talks over the years. (Including one that was in the works from Tony Scott a few years before the Top Gun director’s 2012 death.) However, at the time of this writing, the only official continuation of the property was the 2005 video game, The Warriors, from Rockstar Games, the same studio behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise. That game, by the way, is amazing and one of the best of its kind.
After listening to Warriors, I’m convinced this could be the perfect avenue for a remake to happen on the big screen. But instead of being a lifeless remake that vastly changes the story, with muted easter eggs for longtime fans, the concept album keeps the main story mostly the same – The Warriors are framed in the murder of Grammacy Riffs leader Cyrus and have to make their way back to Coney Island. It’s just that the titular gang is portrayed as an all-female outfit this time around.
This new spin on Walter Hill’s beloved adaptation of Sol Yurick’s novel of the same name would be so much fun to experience on the big screen and could breathe new life into the story in the process.
The Performances By New York Rappers And Broadway Stars Would Be Awesome On Screen (And Stage)
One aspect of Warriors I love the most is the outstanding cast that combines the best of Broadway and New York City hip-hop to create a massive and talented ensemble where everyone fits perfectly. The titular gang, portrayed by the likes of Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Amber Gray, and Anessa Folds, all shine in their respective roles and add a new dynamic to the story.
The same goes for iconic rappers like Busta Rhymes, Cam’ron, Nas, Chris Rivers, Ghostface Killah, and RZA, who serve as the voices of the five New York boroughs (the Wu-Tang Clan members share Staten Island). Even the Tasmanian-born Tik-Tok-famous metal singer Kim Dracula feels like a natural fit, which speaks to Miranda's keen vision. Seeing all those performances on screen (and on stage) could be incredible and introduce the story to a whole new generation.
Only time will tell if we’ll see Warriors take to the big screen or a Broadway stage, but there are plenty on the 2024 movie schedule to look forward to while we wait.
