Coming this holiday season (date tbd)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzKASl2T9d0&t=2s
This looks wonderful!
One of my all-time favorite musicals. I’m so glad Matthew Warchus is directing. His vision for the original production was perfect, and this looks fantastic.
Is it getting a theatrical release also?
This looks INCREDIBLE. That being said, while I LOVE Emma Thompson in literally anything and I'm sure she'll be perfect in this, I do wish they had gone with Bertie Carvel as Trunchbull.
ColorTheHours048 said: "Is it getting a theatrical release also?"
Sony is releasing it theatrically in the UK. Netflix hasn't said what they're doing for theatrical in the US, but we should at minimum expect to see it at places like The Paris in NYC (which Netflix owns) and possibly at some other independent theaters or Netflix-controlled theaters in major cities across the country. Maybe some fall film festivals, too. But the vast majority of people will see this on Netflix –– grrrr.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/20
bjh2114 said: "This looks INCREDIBLE. That being said, while I LOVE Emma Thompson in literally anything and I'm sure she'll be perfect in this, I do wish they had gone with Bertie Carvel as Trunchbull."
Originally, Ralph Fiennes was cast as Trunchbull, but eventually the decision was made to recast the role with a woman because the man in drag gimmick could have been seen as transphobic. At any rate, Emma Thompson is just about perfect casting.
It looks really quite amazing. Still wish Trunch was a man, but I can't wait for this. Should have won Best Score and Best Musical, what a crime!
Emma Thompson looks just about perfect as does the rest of the film. I’m more excited to see it now.
Featured Actor Joined: 2/13/22
While musicals don’t lend themselves all that great to trailers, this does look promising. I love this show and hope the magic of it onstage transfers to the screen.
I also wish Bertie was Trunchbull, even if I love Emma Thompson. Kind of a shame Carvel didn’t already have The Crown under his belt (technically he did, but a much smaller role), if his seasons were seen on a big show like that, maybe that kind of exposure could’ve gotten him the part. Oh well, the cast looks great anyway.
One of my all time favorite shows - an absolute masterpiece of a musical. I can't wait for this.
KevinKlawitter said: "Originally, Ralph Fiennes was cast as Trunchbull, but eventually the decision was made to recast the role with a woman because the man in drag gimmick could have been seen as transphobic."
Is Mary Sunshine still played by a man in Chicago?
Lot666 said: "Is Mary Sunshine still played by a man in Chicago?"
Yup, and because it's a vaudeville-based show set in the 1920s there's no issue with that supporting role.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/20
Lot666 said: "KevinKlawitter said: "Originally, Ralph Fiennes was cast as Trunchbull, but eventually the decision was made to recast the role with a woman because the man in drag gimmick could have been seen as transphobic."
Is Mary Sunshine still played by a man in Chicago?
"
Not in the movie - Christine Baranski played the part on film.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/29/08
Wow this looks incredible!!!!!! Cannot wait to see it! The trailer alone gave me chills. Emma Thompson was perfect casting wow.
Leading Actor Joined: 1/27/15
This looks absolutely fantastic!! I've seen the show several times on various theatre trips to London and loved it. So happy they had the good sense to let Matthew Warchus direct the film version as well. First impression is that this could actually be one of the few stage to film adaptations that actually works and satisfies the fans of the stage show.
Updated On: 6/15/22 at 12:20 PM
This looks absolutely charming and fun! What makes me relieved is that Matthew Warchus has directed some movies in the UK before, so he certainly knows the medium of film. So, we may avoid another Harold Prince and Susan Stroman situation when it comes to film adaptations of musicals directed by people who did the stage shows to less successful effect. Mostly because they didn't know how to transfer their work from stage to screen in a way that works for the medium of film.
This movie has a chance to stand alongside West Side Story (2021), In The Heights and Tick, Tick, Boom! as film adaptations of Broadway musicals that are very satisfying to watch.
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Coming this holiday season (date tbd)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzKASl2T9d0&t=2s"
TEASER trailer. This isn’t the official full trailer. Geez, Louise, Peggy Sue.
BrodyFosse123 said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Coming this holiday season (date tbd)!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzKASl2T9d0&t=2s"
TEASER trailer. This isn’t the official full trailer. Geez, Louise, Peggy Sue. "
Who cares? There’s enough seen here to think it looks good.
I don't see it as transphobic, but that's also probably because I don't really see Trunchbull as a gender. Trunchbull is just Trunchbull.
But this looks wonderful. It's such a fantastic musical and I love Warchus' direction, so excited to see what they've done with this!
RippedMan said: "I don't see it as transphobic, but that's also probably because I don't really see Trunchbull as a gender. Trunchbull is just Trunchbull."
This was the beauty of Bertie Carvel’s performance; the character work was so specific, and the transformation was so fully-realized, that there was no emphasis on any gendered behavior. It didn’t feel like a joke or a gimmick, it didn’t feel like a “man in a dress.” It was just Trunchbull. And in fact many audience members didn’t even realize the role was played by a man.
The problem is, not everyone is Bertie Carvel, and subsequent actors haven’t been able to disappear into the role as consistently. I saw the show with a couple other actors, and noticed that there were laughs in the audience when Trunchbull began speaking with a noticeably “masculine” voice. This is the sort of territory that made the casting feel transphobic.
Fiennes is very talented, but I don’t think he had it in him to disappear into the role sufficiently to avoid coming across as a “man in a dress” gimmick. Even if he has the acting capabilities, it still wouldn’t have worked because of how famous he is.
I wish Carvel had done the movie. His performance was brilliant.
Come on, folks. Casting Trunchbull came down to name value. Bertie Carvel was never going to be offered that part in a midbudget studio film. This required a Thompson/Fiennes level name to get it greenlit.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/13/04
Another vote for Bertie Carvel, who was brilliant as Trump in "The 47th" in London
Swing Joined: 4/5/22
Or Hannah Waddingham from Ted Lasso and Game of Thrones.
ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Come on, folks. Casting Trunchbull came down to name value. Bertie Carvel was never going to be offered that part in a midbudget studio film. This required a Thompson/Fiennes level name to get it greenlit."
We can still say we would have preferred someone else. I get how this industry works, and I’ve seen it destroy many stage to screen adaptations.
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