95+ Musicals Based on Movies – A Full List
Due to life events, finances, location, or lack of time, live theatre isn’t always available to us. But the good news is that there are also tons of amazing movie-related musical adaptations that we can enjoy in the meantime. Here are some of the best musicals based on movies out there, along with links to the exact ones they’re based on!
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Golden Age Musicals (1940-1959)
Music/Lyrics: Harold Rome Book: Leonard Gershe
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Movie It’s Based On: Destry Rides Again➝
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Hilliard Book: James H. Street
Musical Type: Golden Age (1953)
Movie It’s Based On: Nothing is Sacred➝
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, Abe Burrows
Musical Type: Golden Age (1955)
Movie It’s Based On: Ninotchka➝
Post-Golden Age Musicals (1960s)
Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster Book: Ronald Hanmer, Phil Park
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1961)
Movie It’s Based On: Calamity Jane➝
Music/Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Michael Stewart
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1961)
Movie It’s Based On: Lili➝
Music/Lyrics: Walter Marks Book: Ernest Kinoy
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Movie It’s Based On: Hole in the Head➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Movie It’s Based On: Miracle on 34th Street➝
Music: Manos Hadjidakis Lyrics: Joe Darion Book: Jules Dassin
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Movie It’s Based On: Never on Sunday➝
Music: Burt Bacharach Lyrics: Hal David Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Movie It’s Based On: The Apartment➝
Music: Cy Coleman Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Post Golden Age (1966)
Movie It’s Based On: Nights of Cabiria➝
1970s Musicals
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Lee Adams Book: Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1970)
Movie It’s Based On: All About Eve➝
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Alan Parker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Movie It’s Based On: Bugsy Malone➝
Music: Gary Geld Lyrics/Book: Peter Udell Book: Philip Rose, James Lee Barrett
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1974)
Movie It’s Based On: Shenandoah➝
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1972)
Movie It’s Based On: Some Like it Hot➝
1980s Musicals
Music: Steve Margoshes Lyrics: Jacques Levy
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Movie It’s Based On: Fame➝
Music/Lyrics: Peter Allen Book: Harvey Fierstein, Charles Suppon
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1988)
Movie It’s Based On: The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond➝
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Movie It’s Based On: Little Shop of Horrors➝
Music/Lyrics: Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane Book: Hugh Wheeler
Musical Type: 1944 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1989)
Movie It’s Based On: Meet Me in St. Louis➝
Music/Lyrics: Maury Yeston Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1982)
Movie It’s Based On: 8 1/2➝
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Music: De Paul, Kasha, Hirschhorn Lyrics: Mercer, Kasha, Hirschhorn Book: Kasha, Landay
Musical Type: 1954 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1982)
Movie It’s Based On: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers➝
Music: Nacio Herb Brown Lyrics: Arthur Freed Book: Adolph Green, Betty Comden
Musical Type: 1952 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1983)
Movie It’s Based On: Singin’ in the Rain➝
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics/Book: Howard Ashman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1986)
Movie It’s Based On: Smile➝
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Movie It’s Based On: Woman of the Year➝
1990s Musicals
Music: David Shire Lyrics: Richard Maltby Jr. Book: John Weidman
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1996)
Movie It’s Based On: Big➝
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman Book: A.J. Carothers
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Movie It’s Based On: St. Martin’s Lane➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Movie It’s Based On: Doctor Dolittle➝
Music: Tom Snow Lyrics/Book: Dean Pitchford Book: Walter Bobbie
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Movie It’s Based On: Footloose➝
Music/Lyrics: Cole Porter, Susan Birkenhead Book: Arthur Kopit
Musical Type: 1956 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1997)
Movie It’s Based On: High Society➝
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Joseph Dougherty
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Movie It’s Based On: My Favorite Year➝
Music: Dan Studney Lyrics/Book: Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Movie It’s Based On: Reefer Madness➝
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics/Book: Don Black, Christopher Hampton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
Movie It’s Based On: Sunset Boulevard➝
Music: Martin Silvestri Lyrics/Book: Joel Higgins
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Movie It’s Based On: The Traveling Executioner➝
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: David Zippel Book: Neil Simon
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Movie It’s Based On: The Goodbye Girl➝
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Rodger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Movie It’s Based On: The Lion King➝
Music: Henry Mancini, Frank Wildhorn Lyrics: Leslie Bricusse Book: Blake Edwards
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1995)
Movie It’s Based On: Victor/Victoria➝
2000s Musicals
Music/Lyrics: Dolly Parton Book: Patricia Resnick
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Movie It’s Based On: 9 to 5➝
Music/Lyrics: John Bucchino Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Movie It’s Based On: The Catered Affair➝
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Joseph Robinette
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Movie It’s Based On: A Christmas Story➝
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Movie It’s Based On: A Man of No Importance➝
Music: Elton John Lyrics/Book: Lee Hall
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Movie It’s Based On: Billy Elliot➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Cinco Paul Book: Ken Daurio
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Movie It’s Based On: Bubble Boy➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Various
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Movie It’s Based On: Camp Rock➝
Music: Adam Schlesinger Lyrics: David Javerbaum Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Movie It’s Based On: Cry-Baby➝
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Eleanor Bergstein
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2004)
Movie It’s Based On: Dirty Dancing➝
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Jeffrey Lane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Movie It’s Based On: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: George Reinblatt Music: Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Movie It’s Based On: Evil Dead➝
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Movie It’s Based On: Finding Nemo➝
Music/Lyrics: Robbie Roth Lyrics/Book: Robert Cary Book: Tom Hedley
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Movie It’s Based On: Flashdance➝
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Movie It’s Based On: Hairspray➝
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: David Simpatico
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Movie It’s Based On: High School Musical➝
Music/Lyrics: Nell Benjamin, Laurence O’Keefe Book: Heather Hach
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Movie It’s Based On: Legally Blonde➝
* This musical is also partially based on the book, Legally Blonde➝
Music/Lyrics: Jon Kaplan, Al Kaplan Book: Hunter Bell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Movie It’s Based On: The Silence of the Lambs➝
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Cheri Steinkellner, Bill Steinkellner
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Movie It’s Based On: Sister Act➝
Music: John Du Prez Music/Lyrics/Book: Eric Idle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Movie It’s Based On: Monty Python and the Holy Grail➝
Music/Lyrics: David Kirshenbaum Book: Hunter Foster
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Movie It’s Based On: Summer of ’42➝
* This musical is also based on the book, Summer of ’42➝
Music/Lyrics: Phil Collins Book: David Henry Hwang
Musical Type: 1999 Film/Contemporary Musical (2006)
Movie It’s Based On: Tarzan➝
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Movie It’s Based On: The Full Monty➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mel Brooks Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: 1967 Film/Contemporary Musical (2001)
Movie It’s Based On: The Producers➝
Music/Book: James Valcq Lyrics/Book: Fred Alley
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
Movie It’s Based On: The Spitfire Grill➝
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Book: Tim Herlihy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Movie It’s Based On: The Wedding Singer➝
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: David Ives, Paul Blake
Musical Type: 1954 Film/Contemporary Musical (2000)
Movie It’s Based On: White Christmas➝
Music/Lyrics: Jeff Lynne, John Farrar Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Movie It’s Based On: Xanadu➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Mel Brooks Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Movie It’s Based On: Young Frankenstein➝
2010s Musicals
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Lyrics: Tim Rice, Howard Ashman
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: Aladdin➝
Music/Lyrics: Daniel Messé Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Craig Lucas
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Movie It’s Based On: Amélie➝
Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Book: Craig Lucas
Musical Type: 1951 Film/Contemporary Musical (2014)
Movie It’s Based On: An American in Paris➝
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Movie It’s Based On: Anastasia➝
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Neil Bartram Book: Brian Hill
Musical Type: 1971 Film/Contemporary Musical (2019)
Movie It’s Based On: Bedknobs and Broomsticks➝
Music/Lyrics: Eddie Perfect Book: Scott Brown, Anthony King
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Movie It’s Based On: Beetlejuice➝
Music: Howard Goodall Lyrics: Charles Hart Book: Gurinder Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Movie It’s Based On: Bend It Like Beckham➝
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Ron Cowen, Daniel Lipman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: A Private Function➝
Music/Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Book: John August
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Movie It’s Based On: Big Fish➝
Music/Lyrics: Tom Kitt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green Book: Jeff Whitty
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: Bring It On➝
Music/Lyrics: Gary Barlow Book: Tim Firth
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Movie It’s Based On: Calendar Girls➝
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Peter Duchan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Movie It’s Based On: Dogfight➝
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Movie It’s Based On: Elf➝
Music/Lyrics: Gary Barlow, Eliot Kennedy Music: Scott Frankel Lyrics: Michael Korie Book: Allan Knee, James Graham
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Movie It’s Based On: Finding Neverland➝
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez Book: Jennifer Lee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Movie It’s Based On: Frozen➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard, Bruce Joel Rubin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: Ghost➝
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Danny Rubin
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Movie It’s Based On: Groundhog Day➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Laurence O’Keefe, Kevin Murphy
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Movie It’s Based On: Heathers➝
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Gordon Greenberg, Chad Hodge
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2014)
Movie It’s Based On: Holiday Inn➝
Music/Lyrics: Jason Robert Brown Book: Andrew Bergman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Movie It’s Based On: Honeymoon in Vegas➝
Music: Marius de Vries Lyrics/Book: Michael Mitnick, Craig Lucas, Eddie Perfect, Jack Thorne
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Movie It’s Based On: King Kong➝
Music/Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Movie It’s Based On: Kinky Boots➝
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Glenn Slater Book: Janus Cercone
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Movie It’s Based On: Leap of Faith➝
Music: David Arnold Lyrics: Richard Thomas Book: Richard Bean
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Movie It’s Based On: Made in Dagenham➝
Music: Jeff Richmond Lyrics: Nell Benjamin Book: Tina Fey
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Movie It’s Based On: Mean Girls➝
Music: George Fenton, Simon Chamberlain Lyrics: Don Black Book: Terry Johnson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Movie It’s Based On: Mrs. Henderson Presents➝
Music/Lyrics/Book: Debbie Isitt, Nicky Ager
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Movie It’s Based On: Nativity!➝
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Jack Feldman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: Newsies➝
Music/Lyrics: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: Once➝
Music/Lyrics: Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance Book: Garry Marshall, J.F. Lawton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Movie It’s Based On: Pretty Woman➝
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Thomas Meehan, Sylvester Stallone
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Movie It’s Based On: Rocky➝
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glen Slater Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Movie It’s Based On: School of Rock➝
Music/Lyrics: Gary Clark, John Carney Book: Enda Walsh
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Movie It’s Based On: Sing Street➝
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Itamar Moses
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Movie It’s Based On: The Band’s Visit➝
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Alexander Dinelaris Jr.
Musical Type: Contemporary/Jukebox (2012)
Movie It’s Based On: The Bodyguard➝
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Philip LaZebnik
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Movie It’s Based On: The Prince of Egypt➝
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Robert Horn
Musical Type: Contemporary (2018)
Movie It’s Based On: Tootsie➝
Music/Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Dwight Taylor, Allan Scott, Matthew White, Howard Jacques
Musical Type: 1935 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Movie It’s Based On: Top Hat➝
Music/Lyrics: Sara Bareilles Book: Jessie Nelson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Movie It’s Based On: Waitress➝
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Music/Lyrics: David Yazbek Book: Jeffrey Lane
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Movie It’s Based On: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown➝
2020s Musicals
Music: Tom Kitt Lyrics/Book: Brian Yorkey Book: Kwame Kwei-Armah
Musical Type: Contemporary (2021)
Movie It’s Based On: The Visitor➝
Other Post You Might Like
• Musicals About New York City
• Rodgers and Hammerstein Musicals
Want a weekly list of stagey surprises?!
Do you know of any other great musicals based on movies?
Or have you seen and of the musicals based on films above? Feel free to share your favorite movie musical in the comments! And if you like these types of lists, check out the musical database. That’s where you’ll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She has a TESOL drama certificate, a BA in theatre, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.