Probability of a PIPPIN movie musical, post-WICKED success?

The Weinstein Company optioned the title at some point after the Broadway revival and had a movie in talks for a while with Meron and Zadan as producers. Assumingly, was Rob Marshall slated to direct and choreograph in another post-Chicago collaboration? They even had a screenwriter who since, after TWC ended, has most recently worked on the series Daisy Jones & The Six and Shrinking. And it was to be in the vein of Fellini meets Fosse's original version of the show, or so I remember...? I'd even be curious to see if NBC wants to restart the holiday live TV musicals with something like Pippin. I'm working on a production of Pippin, so it's been on the brain, plus the Wicked movie is so far a success, along with seeing Schwartz in some press interviews, my mind started to wonder.

Updated On: 12/2/24 at 12:27 PM

TotallyEffed said: "I doubt any studio is itching to produce this any time soon."

Sure. That's why I even brought up the possibility of a live TV musical, if nothing else. But if a studio is looking for a movie musical with some potential awards possibilities or pedigree, this one's a decent contender. Especially if it's done very stylistically with something visionary... from any director.

The success of the Wicked movie would not translate to people running out by the millions to see a Pippin movie just because Stephen Schwartz wrote the songs. Schwartz and Holzman have said in interviews that they’re talking about future projects involving the Oz IP.

jacobsnchz14 said: "The Weinstein Company optioned the title at some point after the Broadway revival and had a movie in talks for a while with Meron and Zadan as producers. Assumingly, was Rob Marshall slated to direct and choreograph in another post-Chicago collaboration?"

According to this Deadline article from 2018, Weinstein made the deal for the rights back at Miramax around 2002, and it was one of the properties he took with him when he started The Weinstein Company. Sources said that Marshall was interested, but production on Nine was so stressful, he didn't want to make another movie with Weinstein.
https://deadline.com/2018/04/pippin-movie-harvey-weinstein-the-weinstein-company-bankruptcy-stephen-schwartz-roger-hirson-1202360978/

jacobsnchz14 said: "TotallyEffed said: "I doubt any studio is itching to produce this any time soon."

Sure. That's why I even brought up the possibility of a live TV musical, if nothing else. But if a studio is looking for a movie musical with some potential awards possibilities or pedigree, this one's a decent contender."

Maybe it would be best suited as a prestige awards title from one of the streaming services (i.e. Apple, Netflix).

I LOVE Pippin. Probably my favorite Schwartz show, tbh, but there is no way in hell a movie version would do well today...not even if you cast 1/2 of Heartstopper and the other half from Bridgerton. (And there would be some good casting choices in there!)

joevitus said: "If I had to pick a favorite Schwartz show, it would likely be Pippin, but there are few shows that I think pose as many insurmountable obstacles as this onedoes in transferring material from stage to screen. Agree that it is a show very much of its era--I don't see a contemporary mass audience connecting with it now.

For all its flaws, the William Katt/Ben Vereen taping is an adequate enough capture for anyone who needs some kind of filmed version.

Out of curiosity, what were the troubles Marshall had working with Weinstein? Repulsive as he is on private level, I thought Weinsteinwas one of those studio heads who let directors do their own thing in peace."

My understanding is that Weinstein was an extreme micromanager (to everyone except Tarantino, who he left alone).

I think Wicked's success helps make a Hamilton movie happen more than anything else.

the probability is near zero

to start with the book is a mess

and comparing a global phenomenon like wicked to pippin is apples to oranges

pippin was a broadway success and it has many elements to admire including the music

but it never peaked culturally the way wicked has

given that even more popular broadway shows such as rent and dear evan hansen spawned films which flopped in spectacular fashion only a producer who wanted to burn money would greenlight a pippin movie

Off subject, but I think a Fun Home movie would be truly remarkable.

I thought Weinstein's Pippin would have been directed by Paulus? I recall the story of how she got the directing job for Finding Neverland included some kind of involvement with a Pippin film.

I would be shocked. It has nowhere near the popularity that Wicked has.

My dream for a Fun Home movie would blend live action with animation done in the style of Bechdel's drawings. Characters and settings dropping in and out between being animated for some scenes and live actors for others, but Bruce is always animated except for “Telephone Wire” so when Big Alison gets into the car with him what throws her really off balance is finally truly seeing him for the first time