Movie musicals are a genre that has historically performed well, capable of making money at the box office and even winning Best Picture at the Oscars. The latest of these projects to hit theaters was the new Mean Girls movie, which combined the original movie with the Broadway musical of the same name. The movie's pair of directors recently revealed another musical they'd like to bring to film, and sign me TF up. Let's break it all down.
Mean Girls reviews were positive, and the movie musical performed quite well at the box office. This was a big moment for directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., who previously worked on a number of music video before getting behind the camera for Mean Girls. The pair recently spoke with ComicBook, where Perez revealed another Broadway hit he'd like a crack at: Hamilton. As he put it:
Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton. We're screaming it from the treetops like he would. But unless maybe Lin wants to direct it, but ... That would be amazing. That would be an incredible thing, too. But if he doesn't want to direct it... We're not throwing away our shot.
Well, I'm sold. Assuming Lin-Manuel Miranda doesn't want to direct it himself, the Mean Girls filmmakers seem interested in bringing a Hamilton movie to life. We'll just have to wait and see if plans to make a theatrical adaptation come to pass, especially after the filmed stage musical that's available with a Disney+ subscription.
Obviously Hamilton already got a movie, but it's a filmed version of the stage musical rather than an actual film. That has seemingly helped the Broadway show continue to sell tickets, but a film adaptation feels like an inevitability. Although the timing and the director(s) remain a total mystery at this point.
Given what they pulled off with Mean Girls, I think Jayne and Perez would be an excellent choice for a Hamilton movie. They made sure that the new Mean Girls packed plenty of surprises for hardcore fans, resulting in something fresh and new. And one can only imagine what tricks they'd have up their sleeves for Lin-Manuel Miranda's acclaimed Broadway sensation.
Of course, Arturo Perez Jr. did acknowledge that Lin-Manuel Miranda might want to direct a Hamilton movie himself. He recently made his directorial debut with Tick, Tick... Boom!, which is available with a Netflix subscription. That movie was a huge hit, with Andrew Garfield getting an Oscar nomination for playing Jonathan Larson.
There are currently no plans for a full-blown Hamilton movie, so it remains to be seen if Perez and Jayne will get their wish for that project. But Mean Girls' success is definitely a boon for tis possibility.
Mean Girls is available now on digital and will arrive on Blu-ray on April 30th. While we wait, check out the 2024 release dates.
