Over the past year, star-studded movie musicals have caught the interest of audiences with big hits such as Aladdin, Mary Poppins Returns and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Now Netflix has made a smooth side-step in the direction of its big movie studio peers with a feature adaptation of Broadway’s The Prom starring the likes of Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, James Corden, Keegan Michael-Key and Awkwafina. Talk about star power!
American Horror Story, Pose and Glee creator Ryan Murphy is helming The Prom for Netflix and has nabbed an incredible dream cast, all of which his first choice, per Deadline. The musical will begin production in December ahead of its fall 2020 release and have a theatrical run before landing on the streaming site.
The Prom debuted on Broadway in fall 2018, with its stage run closing out this summer before the musical comedy goes on a national tour in 2021. The Tony-nominated production was penned by the writers/composers involved in Broadway adaptations of Aladdin, Elf and The Wedding Singer.
The musical follows four fading Broadway talents (played by Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman and Book of Mormon’s Andrew Rannells) who travel to a conservative town in Indiana to join the protest against a high school’s decision not to let a student bring along her girlfriend to prom to bask in the free press of the situation.
Ariana Grande will play a popular high school student named Alyssa and Crazy Rich Asian scene-stealer Awkwafina is on board as a publicist to the group. Keegan Michael-Key will play the school’s principal and friend to the student at the center, Emma. A national search for the role of Emma is currently underway.
Meryl Streep has brought her talent to tons of musical roles in recent years, including two Mamma Mia movies, Mary Poppins Returns and Into the Woods also with James Corden, who she will star with in The Prom. Fans of Big Little Lies will also be happy to see her and her co-star Nicole Kidman together here. Kidman has been in a few memorable musicals in the past, such as Nine and Moulin Rouge, but it’s been 10 years since.
The additions of Grande, Key and Awkwafina are also great moves as each of them have recently dominated buzz in music and Hollywood. Grande is delivering No. 1 hits left and right, Key is starring in summer blockbusters such as Toy Story 4 and Lion King and Awkwafina is rising the ranks to the A-list, as she soon stars in the next Jumanji adventure.
The big-name cast reportedly were quick to accept their Prom roles and the film’s message of inclusion. It is worth mentioning that shortly after reports of Ariana Grande joining the project surfaced, Billboard reported that Grande's tour schedule may come in conflict with the film's production. We'll have to wait and see if this is true or not.
The film’s release comes just in time for award season but it will contend with Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story starring Ansel Elgort, coming on December 18, 2020. Another musical coming in summer of 2020 is a movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first big Broadway hit In the Heights, directed by Crazy Rich Asians’ helmer Jon M. Chu.
Are you excited for The Prom? Sing your song in the comments below!
