125+ Musicals Based on Movies – The Full List of Shows
Looking for musicals that bring the excitement of cinema to the stage? From beloved film classics to modern blockbusters, these shows transform iconic movies into live stage productions. Here’s the full list of musicals based on movies.
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On This Page:
Golden Age Musicals Based on Movies
Golden Age Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Creators: Harold Rome and Leonard Gershe
Based On: Destry Rides Again➝
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Creators: Frank Loesser, John Fearnley, Beverly Cross, and Tommy Steele
Based On: Hans Christian Andersen➝
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Creators: Jule Styne, Bob Hilliard, and Ben Hecht
Based On: Nothing Sacred➝
Musical Type: Golden Age (1958)
Creators: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans, Al Morgan, and José Ferrer
Based On: The Captain’s Paradise➝
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Creators: Cole Porter, George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, and Abe Burrows
Based On: Ninotchka➝
1960s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Creators: Bob Merrill and Edward Albee
Based On: Breakfast at Tiffany’s➝
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Creators: Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster
Based On: Calamity Jane➝
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Creators: Walter Marks and Ernest Kinoy
Based On: A Hole in the Head➝
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Creators: Bob Merrill and Nunnally Johnson
Based On: The World of Henry Orient➝
* Also based on the book, The World of Henry Orient➝
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Creators: Manos Hadjidakis, Joe Darion, and Jules Dassin
Based On: Never on Sunday➝
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Creators: Burt Bacharach, Hal David, and Neil Simon
Based On: The Apartment➝
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Creators: Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, and Neil Simon
Based On: Nights of Cabiria➝
1970s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1973)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
Based On: Smiles of a Summer Night➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1970)
Creators: Charles Strouse, Lee Adams, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green
Based On: All About Eve➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1976)
Creators: Paul Williams and Alan Parker
Based On: Bugsy Malone➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1979)
Creators: Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner, and Joseph Stein
Based On: Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1978)
Creators: Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green
Based On: Twentieth Century➝
* Also based on the play, Twentieth Century.
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1974)
Creators: Gary Geld, Peter Udell, Philip Rose, and James Lee Barrett
Based On: Shenandoah➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1972)
Creators: Jule Styne, Bob Merrill, and Peter Stone
Based On: Some Like It Hot➝
1980s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1988)
Creators: Peter Allen, Harvey Fierstein, and Charles Suppon
Based On: The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1982)
Creators: Alan Menken and Howard Ashman
Based On: Little Shop of Horrors➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1989)
Creators: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane, and Hugh Wheeler
Based On: Meet Me in St. Louis➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1983)
Creators: Bob Carlton and Others
Based On: Forbidden Planet➝
* Also based on the play, The Tempest➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1982)
Creators: Gene de Paul, Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn, Johnny Mercer, Lawrence Kasha, and David Landay
Based On: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1983)
Creators: Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed, Adolph Green, and Betty Comden
Based On: Singin’ in the Rain➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1987)
Creators: Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Herbert Stothart, L. Frank Baum, and John Kane
Based On: The Wizard of Oz➝
* Also based on the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1981)
Creators: John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Peter Stone
Based On: Woman of the Year➝
1990s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1994)
Creators: Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Linda Woolverton
Based On: Beauty and the Beast➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1995)
Creators: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, and A.J. Carothers
Based On: St. Martin’s Lane➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1998)
Creators: Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford, and Walter Bobbie
Based On: Footloose➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)
Creators: Cole Porter, Susan Birkenhead, and Arthur Kopit
Based On: High Society➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1996)
Creators: Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, Edward Hardy, and Stephen Clark
Based On: The Return of Martin Guerre➝
* Also based on the true story of Martin Guerre.
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1992)
Creators: Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Joseph Dougherty
Based On: My Favorite Year➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1994)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine
Based On: Passione d’Amore➝
* Also based on the book, Fosca➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1998)
Creators: Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy
Based On: Reefer Madness➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1992)
Creators: Leslie Bricusse
Based On: Scrooge➝
* Also based on the book, A Christmas Carol➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1996)
Creators: Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Tom Briggs, and Louis Mattioli
Based On: State Fair➝
* Also based on the book, State Fair➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1991)
Creators: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black, and Christopher Hampton
Based On: Sunset Boulevard➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1993)
Creators: Martin Silvestri and Joel Higgins
Based On: The Traveling Executioner➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1993)
Creators: Marvin Hamlisch, David Zippel, and Neil Simon
Based On: The Goodbye Girl➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1999)
Creators: Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, James Lapine, and Peter Parnell
Based On: The Hunchback of Notre Dame➝
* Also based on the book, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1997)
Creators: Elton John, Tim Rice, Roger Allers, and Irene Mecchi
Based On: The Lion King➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1995)
Creators: Henry Mancini, Frank Wildhorn, Leslie Bricusse, and Blake Edwards
Based On: Victor/Victoria➝
Musical Type: Late 20th Century (1996)
Creators: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jim Steinman, Patricia Knop, and Gale Edwards
Based On: Whistle Down the Wind➝
* Also based on the novella, Whistle Down the Wind➝
2000s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: John Bucchino and Harvey Fierstein
Based On: The Catered Affair➝
* Also based on the teleplay, The Catered Affair.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Creators: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Joseph Robinette
Based On: A Christmas Story➝
* Also based on In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash➝ by Jean Shepherd
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Terrence McNally
Based On: A Man of No Importance➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Creators: Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, and Terrence McNally
Based On: Catch Me If You Can➝
* Also based on the book, Catch Me If You Can➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Jeremy Sams, and Ray Roderick
Based On: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang➝
* Also based on the book, Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Creators: David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane
Based On: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Creators: George Reinblatt, Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, and Melissa Morris
Based On: The Evil Dead➝, Evil Dead II➝, Army of Darkness➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, and Lindsay Anderson
Based On: Finding Nemo➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Creators: Robbie Roth, Robert Cary, and Tom Hedley
Based On: Flashdance➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell, and Thomas Meehan
Based On: Hairspray➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: David Simpatico and Others
Based On: High School Musical➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe, and Heather Hach
Based On: Legally Blonde➝
* Also based on the book, Legally Blonde➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Creators: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, and Julian Fellowes
Based On: Mary Poppins➝
* Also based on the book, Mary Poppins➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Creators: Stephan Elliott, Allan Scott, and Others
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Creators: Jon Kaplan, Al Kaplan, and Hunter Bell
Based On: The Silence of the Lambs➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Creators: Alan Menken, Glenn Slater, Cheri Steinkellner, and Bill Steinkellner
Based On: Sister Act➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Creators: John Du Prez and Eric Idle
Based On: Monty Python and the Holy Grail➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Creators: David Kirshenbaum and Hunter Foster
Based On: Summer of ’42➝
* Also based on the book, Summer of ’42➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Marvin Hamlisch, Craig Carnelia, and John Guare
Based On: Sweet Smell of Success➝
* Also based on the novella, Sweet Smell of Success.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Creators: Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, Stephen Bray, and Marsha Norman
Based On: The Color Purple➝
* Also based on the book, The Color Purple➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Creators: David Yazbek and Terrence McNally
Based On: The Full Monty➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater, and Doug Wright
Based On: The Little Mermaid➝
* Also based on the classic fairy tale.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Creators: James Valcq and Fred Alley
Based On: The Spitfire Grill➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Creators: David Bryan and Joe DiPietro
Based On: The Toxic Avenger➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Creators: Matthew Sklar, Chad Beguelin, and Tim Herlihy
Based On: The Wedding Singer➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Creators: Jeanine Tesori, Dick Scanlan, and Richard Morris
Based On: Thoroughly Modern Millie➝
* Also based on the musical Chrysanthemum.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Creators: Irving Berlin, David Ives, and Paul Blake
Based On: White Christmas➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Creators: Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Based On: Young Frankenstein➝
2010s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Creators: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, and Craig Lucas
Based On: An American in Paris➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Terrence McNally
Based On: Anastasia➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Creators: Eddie Perfect, Scott Brown, and Anthony King
Based On: Beetlejuice➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Howard Goodall, Charles Hart, Gurinder Chadha, and Paul Mayeda Berges
Based On: Bend It Like Beckham➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: George Stiles, Anthony Drewe, Ron Cowen, and Daniel Lipman
Based On: A Private Function➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green, and Jeff Whitty
Based On: Bring It On➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Douglas Carter Beane
Based On: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella➝
* Also based on the classic fairy tale.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Roger Kumble, Lindsey Rosin, Jordan Ross, and Others
Based On: Cruel Intentions➝
* Also based on the book, Les Liaisons Dangereuses➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Nick Blaemire, Madeline Smith, and Others
Based On: Descendants Series➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Creators: Scott Frankel, Michael Korie, Richard Greenberg
Based On: Far From Heaven➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Creators: Gary Barlow, Eliot Kennedy, Scott Frankel, Michael Korie, Allan Knee, and James Graham
Based On: Finding Neverland➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: Tom Kitt, Brian Yorkey, and Bridget Carpenter
Based On: The Freaky Friday films➝
* Also based on the book, Freaky Friday➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Creators: Irving Berlin, Gordon Greenberg, and Chad Hodge
Based On: Holiday Inn➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Creators: Jason Robert Brown and Andrew Bergman
Based On: Honeymoon in Vegas➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Creators: Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein
Based On: Kinky Boots➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Creators: Alan Menken, Glenn Slater, Janus Cercone, and Warren Leight
Based On: Leap of Faith➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: William Finn and James Lapine
Based On: Little Miss Sunshine➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Creators: Howard Goodall and Stephen Clark
Based On: Love Story➝
* Also based on the book, Love Story➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Creators: David Arnold, Richard Thomas, and Richard Bean
Based On: Made in Dagenham➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Creators: Jeff Richmond, Nell Benjamin, and Tina Fey
Based On: Mean Girls➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: George Fenton, Simon Chamberlain, Don Black, and Terry Johnson
Based On: Mrs. Henderson Presents➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Creators: Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance, Garry Marshall, and J.F. Lawton
Based On: Pretty Woman➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Glenn Slater, and Julian Fellowes
Based On: School of Rock➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Creators: Gary Clark, John Carney, and Enda Walsh
Based On: Sing Street➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Creators: Jeffrey Zahn and Joe Troiano
Based On: Spookley: The Square Pumpkin➝
* Also based on the book series, Spookley the Square Pumpkin➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: David Yazbek and Itamar Moses
Based On: The Band’s Visit➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Creators: Stephen Schwartz and Philip LaZebnik
Based On: The Prince of Egypt➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Creators: Harold Arlen, Herbert Stothart, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Yip Harburg, Tim Rice, and Jeremy Sams
Based On: The Wizard of Oz➝
* Also based on the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Creators: Scott Frankel, Michael Korie, and Doug Wright
Based On: The Powder and the Glory➝
* Also based on the book, War Paint➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Creators: David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane
2020s Musicals Based on Movies
Musical Type: Contemporary (2020)
Creators: Alan Silvestri, Glen Ballard, and Bob Gale
Based On: Back to the Future➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas
Based On: Days of Wine and Roses➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2024)
Creators: Julia Mattison, Noel Carey, and Marco Pennette
Based On: Death Becomes Her➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: Stephen Sondheim and David Ives
Based On: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie➝, The Exterminating Angel➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Creators: Jason Robert Brown, Amanda Green, Billy Crystal, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel
Based On: Mr. Saturday Night➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Creators: Karey Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick, and John O’Farrell
Based On: Mrs. Doubtfire➝
* Also based on the book, Alias Madame Doubtfire➝ by Anne Fine.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2025)
Creators: Tom Fletcher and Jessica Swale
Based On: Paddington➝
* Also based on the book, A Bear Called Paddington➝ by Michael Bond.
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Creators: Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Matthew López, and Amber Ruffin
Based On: Some Like It Hot➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Creators: Elton John, Shaina Taub, Mark Sonnenblick, and Kate Wetherhead
Based On: The Devil Wears Prada➝
* Also based on the book, The Devil Wears Prada➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
Creators: Justin Levine, Jonathan Clay, Zach Chance, and Adam Rapp
Based On: The Outsiders➝
* Also based on the book, The Outsiders➝
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Creators: Tom Kitt, Brian Yorkey, and Kwame Kwei-Armah
Based On: The Visitor➝