When the producers of the Broadway musical Hamilton announced the release of the play about America’s 10-dollar founding father on Disney+ Hotstar Premium, theatre nerds everywhere were ecstatic. But, it ain't the only one, there are several live-action versions of popular musicals on the OTT platform and we have hand-picked five that we cherish the most:
1. Aladdin (2019)
Aladdin (2019) is based on Disney’s animated film of the same name, a story about a fictional village of Agrabah, where Aladdin (Mena Massoud) discovers a magic lamp containing a genie (Will Smith). Together with Princess Jasmine (Naomi Scott), they take on the evil Jafar (Marwan Kenzari), who wants to steal the throne. The film follows the original Disney story, with memorable songs such as “A Whole New World.” The live-action deviates slightly from the original by adding an extra song– Naomi Scott’s feminist “Speechless,” which nuances the plight of Disney princesses. And of course, watching Will Smith as the adorable Genie is always a plus!
2. Into the Woods (2014)
Based on the novel of the same name, this live-action Broadway musical features a star cast including Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, and James Corden. It is a fantasy story based on the Brothers’ Grimm fairy tales such as Red RidingHood, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Rapunzel. The story follows a childless couple as they try to defeat an evil witch who set a curse upon them.
3. The Greatest Showman (2017)
This musical starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Zendaya, features nine original songs. The film is about the P.T. Barnum’s journey of creating Barnum’s American Museum, and features the lives of all the attractions.
4. Beauty and the Beast (2017)
This is a live-action re-telling of the animated film by the same name. Belle (Emma Watson) is forced to live with a grumpy old Beast (Dan Stevens) because of her father’s mistake. The film includes elements from the Broadway musical, and adds modern aspects to the timeless classic. For example, Monsieur LeFou (Josh Gad) is portrayed as a canonically queer character who queerbaits the audience in a glimpse of a scene where he is seen dancing with a man. And, Belle’s feminist character is fleshed out more, in a scene where she is teaching a little girl how to read.
5. Enchanted (2007)
In this musical, Disney pokes fun at itself by parodying the Disney princess story. Giselle (Amy Adams) is tricked by the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) into entering the real world, where she falls in love with Robert (Patrick Dempsey). The songs in the film, such as “That’s How You Know” and “So Close” are catchy and lively.
All streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Premium