As a theater kid in North Dakota gobbling up movie musicals in the absence of live theatre, to a current NYC resident who spends way too much money on TodayTix, the Wicked movie fanfare was built especially for me. Inspired by Wicked, I’ve been rewatching my favorite movie musicals; I’ve also had the opportunity to see almost all of these performed live on stage throughout my life.
This is my ranking for the best movie adaptations of stage musicals from this century. The order is based on the following criteria:
✅ How the film stays true to the original story, while taking creative risks that pay off in the form of expanded character development or visual intimacy
✅ Strength of vocal performances and sound mixing, casting
✅ How much I enjoy the story (duh!)
This is my hot take – what do you think?
