Finding Neverland: The Musical is going to be a movie?

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:22pm

"Though the live theatrical production is closing on Broadway, Weinstein reveals, "I’m excited to announce that we will be producing Finding Neverland the musical as a film."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/harvey-weinstein-produced-finding-neverland-891285?utm_source=twitter

Are they recording the production or actually making it into a movie? Sounds like the latter 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 5/5/16 at 11:26pm

If I could say one thing to Harvey Weinstein...

[non-stop26]

Posted: 5/6/16 at 8:30am

I hope they just get record the show with the whole cast. It will be received much better than another movie.

[rcwr]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 4:20am

You know what would thrill me? If some of the orig ensemble members got cast in the movie. Imagine this movie with Jonathan Ritter, Josh Lamon, Melanie Moore, Mary Page Nance, Emma PFaeffle, Tyley Ross, Ron Todorowski. I'd watch it no matter how bad it was. Hell, if those people were in it, I'd probably buy it.

[brian1973]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 7:08am

Wow he really believes in this show doesn't he? What a fool. Then again at least with a movie, you won't have to look at the ugly set.

[bfreak]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 8:00am

I think he's having a pipe dream in regards to a movie. Sure, I'd love to see a movie with the original cast and ensemble, but I doubt it would be very successful. You need a show that really does well to make it into a movie. Plus, everyone still remembers the original movie and enjoys that. Let's see what happens, though.

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 8:26am

Remember that TWC specialises in mainly independent movies and TV shows nowadays. A Finding Neverland movie may not be big budget one like  les mis but more  like the HBO TV  movie of  All the Way with Bryan Cranston or an Indie like the last 5 years. 

[Back Row]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 8:51am

The only way it would be a small budget would be if they filmed a stage performance. Anything else would cost a minimum $20 million. Even if it went straight to video, they would need movie stars to make it marketable. Grammer and Morrison are TV stars, not movie stars. 

 

I'm guessing that Weinstein looked at the poor grosses of the last few weeks, saw an advance that didn't give him a lot of confidence that he could reverse that trend, and decided to close the show to stop the bleeding. All the talk about branding, a tour, a movie and a return to Broadway is just putting lipstick on a pig. Some of that stuff will happen, and some of it won't, but a movie that is more than just a recorded stage performance makes no financial sense.

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 8:58am

But look at the upcoming TV movies of Dirty Dancing or the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or all the successfull musical TV series's like Nashville, Glee, Smash, or Empire. Live action small budget musicals are very possible these days. 

[Back Row]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 11:06am

The estimated budget for Rocky Horror is $20 million, and that's just a TV show. And Smash was by no means low budget. Unless Harvey is willing to finance the project out of his own pocket, I just don't see a movie happening. Harvey is a big time producer but sometimes his efforts to put a positive spin on things are transparent and clumsy. That's what I see here. (I felt the same way when I read his press release about Morrison replacing Jordan in FN. It was over the top defensive, and it didn't help his case at all.)

 

Movie musicals almost never make money, even if the original material was a critical favorite and a Broadway hit. I can't see the original investors doubling down on their gamble when they are already in the hole on their first investment. Harvey may sincerely want to make a movie, but I just don't see it happening.

Updated On: 5/7/16 at 11:06 AM

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 11:17am

 

I was making comparisions to the 2012 Les Miserables movie which reportedly which had a budget of 61 million.

Morrison starred in  Glee so he obviously famous enough for a musical with  that level of budget. 

My argument was that it's possible for two TV stars to headline a movie musical, it depends on the format. 

Updated On: 5/7/16 at 11:17 AM

[Back Row]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 11:48am

An example of a low budget movie musical is The Last Five Years, which was made for $2 million. That's for a sung through musical shot on location in New York over the span of a couple of weeks, with only one legitimate movie star (Anna Kendrick). Even at $2 million, any money that it makes will have come from Cable TV and DVD sales. Movie musicals cater to a limited audience. That's why they don't make money. If Harvey wants to film the stage production, send it straight to video and promote it with the names of a couple of TV stars on Showtime or Netflix, yeah, that's doable. Any ambitions beyond that are unrealistic. 

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 11:51am

I could see it happen. Just some re-writes, new staging, and bigger names would get the job done. I know Bryan Cranston was interested in Hook and was a producer on the project. Who knows.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 12:24pm

Guys, this isn't a real thing. 

 

It's like the Vegas production of Spider-Man being celebrated at the closing of the Broadway show. 

 

Or every flop that announces a tour in the closing notice.

 

I will be shocked if this happens.

Updated On: 5/7/16 at 12:24 PM

[all_that_jazz]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 12:26pm

brian1973 said: "Wow he really believes in this show doesn't he? What a fool. Then again at least with a movie, you won't have to look at the ugly set.

 

"Yes he believes in his show just as every producer believes in his show.  I'm sick of the people who have to hate on it because it's not their style.  Personally Hamilton and Spring Awakening were sooo not for me. But you know what good onnthem for bringing something different and to those who like those styles.  I would never wish them to close or fail.  The hate on about Finding Neverland is ridiculous. It's a beautiful show you don't like it don't go see it.  I personally hope there's worldwide productions and movies and whatever. I won't go see Hamilton the movie but it should be made for the people that would.

 

[Sunny11]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 12:55pm

Actually remember who headlined the $ 200 million grossing Hairspray movie ? A complete unknown, Nikki Blonsky. Look who the $ billion movie fanchise Star Wars has just added as a leading man, that little know kid from Hail Ceaser. 

I constantly see complaining that when stage musicals are turned to movies that musical theather trained actors are shut out well IF this happens why shouldn't the producer use the OBC? 

[Sondheimite]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 1:43pm

To compare the Star Wars films to a hypothetical Finding Neverland film is laughably foolish 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 1:49pm

While Nikki blonsky did headline the hairspray movie, they didn't advertise her, they focused on the supporting cast who were the big names.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 1:50pm

^same for the wiz live.

[Back Row]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 1:54pm

The bottom line here is why would an experienced successful producer like Weinstein announce a movie when no one knows better than him the almost insurmountable obstacles that would be encountered if anyone attempted to make a movie of this particular project? Budget issues, casting issues, trying to compete against the memory of the original film, and a diminishing lack of interest in the subject matter, just to name a few of those obstacles. The answer is, of course, that businessman Weinstein knows  it can't be done, but promoter Weinstein knows that it adds value to the franchise if he can convince people that a movie might be coming, even when he knows it's not. Harvey gonna Harvey....

[rcwr]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 1:58pm

Is it that he feels it sounds better PR-wise for the show to be closing if they make it sound like it's closing IN ORDER for them to move on to other things including a movie? Deflect attention from why the stage show is closing in the first place -- make that closing sound almost intentional if you don't think too hard about it?

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 2:07pm

Could the Broadway return also be for PR or did the Nederlander's actually offer Harvey a house?

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 5/7/16 at 2:26pm

The original film cost $25 million dollars and grossed $115 million worldwide, it won one Oscar for its score.  Weinstein has always had a reputation of throwing away his money like its going out of style.  He should be happy that he made the first film and leave it at that,