“There are big, tall, terrible, awesome, scary, wonderful giants in the sky!” Those familiar with the lyrics to Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods soundtrack likely recognize those words. More may be able to sing along eventually as Disney and Rob Marshall are teaming up to adapt the Broadway musical to a film.
Written by James Lapine, the musical, which reached the Broadway stage in 1987 and features the music of the legendary Stephen Sondheim, intertwines various fairytale characters (Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, to name a few) into a new story involving a baker and his wife, who hope to have a child.
The Hollywood Reporter posted word of the adaptation, stating that Oscar-nominated director Rob Marshall is set to re-team with Disney for Into the Woods, going on to reference Marshall’s previous work with Disney with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Marshall is also no stranger to musicals, having directed the 1999 TV movie Annie and earning himself an Oscar nomination for directing Chicago. The Reporter also references Marshall’s earlier work as a choreographer.
Storybook characters are in right now. Not only are we going to see Snow White on the big screen twice this year, but network television offers two different drama series that, in different ways, incorporate known characters from children’s literature into a modern day world scenario. So, while this isn’t the first time attempts have been made to put Into the Woods on the big screen, the timing certainly feels right for an adaptation.
Marshall is also set to direct a new version of The Thin Man, which will star Johnny Depp, and according to the Reporter, he’s collaborating on both projects in New York right now and uncertain which project will go first.
