Movie musicals are having a moment. After the huge success of films like In the Heights, West Side Story (among 2021's many offerings in this genre) and the live version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton, another giant musical could be headed to a theater (or streaming service) near you. At least, that’s what Josh Gad is certainly hinting at for The Book of Mormon, although that doesn't mean you should expect it to be available on Disney+.
In a recent tweet, Frozen star Josh Gad intimated that The Book of Mormon could be slated for a film release. Check out his message below:
Out of curiosity, if the original cast of Book of Mormon were to hypothetically come back and perform for a few weeks and potentially record those performances “Hamilton” style, how many of you would be interested? *Asking for a friend.*February 18, 2022
Obviously, Josh Gad’s tweet doesn’t confirm anything, but everyone knows people only say "asking for a friend" when they mean business. He claimed in a later tweet that there was "nothing in motion," but if The Book of Mormon was eyeing a film recording a la Hamilton, it wouldn’t be too crazy to ask one of the original stars to put out some feelers on social media. It’s also not like Gad wouldn’t have the time to head back to the Great White Way now that his Beauty and the Beast spinoff series has been shelved.
Unlike that postponed series, however, The Book of Mormon probably wouldn't be welcome on Disney+. Most of Josh Gad’s famous projects have found a home on the streaming service, with many of them being musicals like Frozen, Frozen 2 and the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. The subject matter of The Book of Mormon, on the other hand, is definitely not appropriate for Disney’s main target audience. Just how inappropriate, you ask? One of the song titles translates to a phrase involving an f-bomb, and the lyrics contain an invitation for God themself to perform an anatomically impossible act.
Many users joked about the possibility of seeing a version of Book of Mormon on a notoriously family-friendly platform like Disney+, but something tells me the foul-mouthed musical that delights in gross-out humor would be amiss amongst the animated musicals and squeaky-clean Marvel properties. Nevertheless, many fans expressed a fervent desire to see more Broadway musicals like The Book of Mormon be made into movies, as it can be a huge challenge to make it to New York, let alone get there in time to see a show’s original cast before they move on to bigger and better things.
Broadway producers have historically been hesitant to release filmed versions of their shows in the fear that such a move would dampen ticket sales. But after the Hamilton movie only heightened the demand for live tickets, it’s not crazy to envision a similar phenomenon surrounding a filmed version of The Book of Mormon. Whether it ever comes to fruition is up to Josh Gad and the theatrical powers that be.
While we wait for The Book of Mormon to make its way to screens big and small, you can always stop by the Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York City for a live performance. Can’t make it to the Big Apple? In the meantime, you can check out other musical films like Encanto and Hamilton with your Disney+ subscription or In the Heights when you subscribe to HBO Max.
