‘X Men’ on Broadway? 20th Century Fox hits the Great White Way
The characters of “X Men,†“Rise of the Planet of the Apes†and “Avatar†could be singing and dancing their way across the Broadway stage.
That’s because 20th Century Fox has joined forces with Tony-winning producer Kevin McCollum (“Rentâ€), film producer John Davis (“Predatorâ€) and Crossroads Media’s Tom McGrath to turn the studio’s films into staged productions on the Great White Way. McGrath will run the daily operations of the new venture.
Over the next four years, the foursome will dip into Fox’s deep well of movie titles and develop at least nine musicals based upon the studio’s films. In a cyclical sort of business model, some of these movies-turned-Broadway-musicals would then reappear, in their new incarnation, on the big screen.
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“For years we have been eager to expand our entertainment expertise to the world of live stage, but we wanted to do it right and most importantly, with the right people,†20th Century Fox Chairman and chief executive Jim Gianopulos said in a statement. “We have been fortunate to have found great partners in Kevin, John and Tom to help to transform great Fox properties into exciting live stage entertainment for audiences everywhere.â€
Fox, McCollum, Davis and McGrath aim to be hands-on, not only actively developing film properties, but remaining involved in readings and workshops of the material.
Isaac Robert Hurwitz, executive director and producer of The New York Musical Theatre Festival, will consult on the new venture.
“The early development phase is both an exciting and vulnerable time in the life of a musical,†McCollum said. “This new joint venture provides a much needed foundation to the creative process for myself, my partners, and the artists who will develop these shows. We are eager to get to work mining the stage theatrical possibilities of the Fox film library.â€
Who says “Diary of a Wimpy Kid†isn’t just calling out for song and dance?
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