As a so-called “theater kid” myself, sitting in the audience of a movie theater nervously waiting to watch the new adaptation of a beloved musical has been a common experience. In the past few years, movie musicals seem to have spiked in both popularity and in production. 

There are three types of movie musicals. The first is a new movie musical, which is simply a movie with singing, dancing, and acting. Most classic Disney movies fit into this category, with “The Greatest Showman,” “Moana,” and “The Lion King,” all being new movie musicals.

The second is pro-shot musicals, where a musical takes place on stage and is filmed, usually with a live audience. Both “Newsies” and “Hamilton” have a pro-shot version.

The third and most common is an adaptation of an already existing musical. “Tick, Tick… BOOM!,” “Mean Girls,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and most recently, “Wicked,” are all adaptations of older musicals, with varying responses from audiences.

With “Dear Evan Hansen” receiving a 29 from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and both “Wicked” and “Tick, Tick… BOOM!” reaching an 88, movie musicals themselves don’t have a consistent rating with critics or audiences. There are some movies that just don’t do well, some factors that audiences just hate, something missing that keeps the movies from having the same sort of feeling. There is something clear that differentiates a good movie musical from a bad one.

The movie version of the classic musical “Wicked” came out in theaters this November. The original version has been running on Broadway consistently since 2003, has produced multiple traveling casts, and has been running on the West End since 2006. It is safe to say that “Wicked” is one of theater’s most beloved musicals.

When the movie, and eventually the cast and production crew, were announced, many fans waited in nervous anticipation. With a musical that has run as long as “Wicked” has, making a new version is sure to make some anxious. Fans worried that the movie would not live up to the immense power that the original holds.

But now that the movie has been running for a few months, it is hard to find a fan who was not happy with this adaptation. The new movie spanned the first act of the musical, with another movie covering the second act in the works. Even with just the first part, the movie was incredibly impressive and well done.

The production built along the original story, diving deeper into characters’ backstories, their relations, and the events in the plot. The audience is offered a profound view of the story, larger than the original could offer with its shorter run time.

Though many people in the theater watching the movie were fans of the original, “Wicked” was also a movie enjoyable to people who knew nothing of the story at all. Whether an audience member knew of the musical, knew of “The Wizard of Oz,” which the story revolves around, or knows nothing about the plot at all, the movie is still exciting.

The music leaned into contrast, with unexpected quietness and booming chords; even without a live orchestra, the music was impressive. Chilling high notes and emotional lows could keep even the most apathetic of people engaged, along with the musical’s iconic ending note, which again was built upon.

The end of act one concludes with a chillingly beautiful riff, as each actor that played the lead, Elphaba, adds to this final note and makes it their own, a tradition kept up by the movie’s leading actress, Cynthia Erivo. The reason that the fans were so in love with this adaptation was that it kept the important parts of the original while building on the pieces in between.

With a mainly teenage fan base, the musical “Dear Evan Hansen” covered mental health struggles that its audience may face. When Evan, a high school student, gets woven into a web of lies, his anxiety skyrockets as he attempts to cover up his deceit.

Ben Platt originated the role of Evan, with his popularity abruptly rising since. When the movie was being cast, they thought that bringing back the original Evan would excite fans. In fact, it did the opposite.

Many fans hated the fact that Platt, a 27-year-old man at the time, was playing a high schooler. Most teenage movies do have young adults playing the kids, but with such a potent topic as mental health, having an older actor in the role just felt inauthentic. 

When watching the movie, I noticed that though Platt is an incredibly talented actor, his skills also worked against the movie. With the character of Evan constantly lying, he is supposed to look like a teenager attempting to lie. But watching Platt act looks like an adult telling the truth, which makes the character of Evan look too good of a performer.

The main problem with the “Dear Evan Hansen” movie was its desperate attempt to hold on to what the musical had done in the past. The movie could have been a crowd favorite if the film crew had been able to build on what had been done before them, instead of their strange continuation of the movie’s predecessor.

Starting as a movie before being turned into an onstage musical, the announcement of another movie, this time based off of the musical, rocked the theater world. The newer film would follow the plot and include the music of the musical, with more modern storytelling that would set it apart from the old.

Though the original is loved by people all over for its relatable and hilarious plot, and vintage feel, the adaptation had several valid concerns. The music wasn’t very compelling and lacked depth, with characters who barely experienced growth and are hardly lovable. Despite this, the musical still has an active fan base that would have loved to see a well-done remake, building on the strengths of both the original and the adaptation.

Instead, the fan base was served a disappointment of a movie. The team seemed to pull from the worst aspects of both. The characters are somehow even less lovable, the plot is even more confusing, the vintage feel is gone, the story lacks depth, and the music appeared to get worse.

Instead of building on the amazing base that the production team was given, they seemed to smash it, creating a forgettable and embarrassing film.

My absolute favorite movie musical was the 2021 adaptation of the show “Tick, Tick… BOOM!.” The original was written by Jonathan Larson, who also wrote Rent. It’s performed in an unorthodox way, with a small cast of characters directly telling you the story through the fourth wall.

The simple reason that this adaptation was so superior was that it built on the original material. The movie cuts back and forth between a production of the show that is similar to the original and recreations of the events that inspired the story.

Because “Tick, Tick… BOOM!” is an autobiographical story, Larson gets to tell the story of his own life, both onstage and in real time. The filmmakers were able to place the narrative in a new light, but still kept the original storyline and setting. They removed nothing from the musical, but were still able to add on a huge amount of context, emotion, and character growth.

All in all, movie musicals are done best when filmmakers love the original material and are able to successfully build off of it. They are best when the biggest fans of the musical are sitting in the production room. They are best when the team is able to use the wonderful base they have been given, and take its best and worst parts into consideration as they rewrite the story.

Movies and musicals are completely different types of media, so when mixed together, it is important to do so carefully. Stunts and effects that could never happen on stage are more than possible on screen. It is important for filmmakers and musical directors to understand the benefits and limitations of their chosen format. 

In “Wicked,” the song “One Short Day” has a long swooping shot that travels through the city with the protagonists as they explore. There are extravagant costumes, mind-boggling sets, and crazy choreography, a stark contrast to the simpler, but still endearing stage version of “One Short Day.”

It is also important to note that though it is very much the production team’s job to create the movie musical’s magic by casting actors who love the original material. Wicked’s lead actors, Erivo and Ariana Grande, have been reported to have fought to keep the adaptation close in musical styles to the original, which was appreciated by fans. The two have ranted about their love of the musical, and it shows in their portrayals of their characters.

The average movie musical is loved by fans, new and old alike, and although both good and bad movie musicals rake in millions at the box office, what really matters is the heart and soul best represented on the silver screen.