When done correctly, musical films can transcend genres.
In 2022, director Todd Phillips announced a sequel to Joker (2019) was being made and was titled Joker: Folie á Deux. This announcement was shortly followed by the reveal that Folie á Deux would in fact be a musical, with Lady Gaga set to portray Harley Quinn. While fans went gaga over the casting, the musical aspect was baffling to many. After all, why would the sequel to a non-musical comic book film, all of a sudden become a musical?
In 2024, that question was answered with an extremely polarizing because Joker: Folie á Deux was an incredibly lackluster follow up to the 2019 film, but was this due to the musical element? In the same year, Marvel Studios and Disney+ released Agatha All Along, only to find praise for the spellbinding story and magical music. Both of these comic book projects featured musical elements, but why was one well received and the other not? It's simple, Agatha All Along had songs that made sense to the plot of the story the show was trying to tell.
Despite the polarizing response to Joker: Folie á Deux,, it still took a risk by being both a musical and a comic book movie. Agatha All Along showed that with the right material, it can be done well.
The idea of what a musical can be has been changing for years and shows no signs of slowing down. Adaptations of beloved films such as Beetlejuice and Back to the Future have been made, and that is all the more reason that these five existing comic book films could easily become musicals.
Iron Man (2008)
In 2008, audiences went to the movie theaters in droves to see one film; Mamma Mia!, a jukebox musical featuring hit songs by the Swedish pop group, ABBA. Based on the West End musical of the same name, it was a huge success, becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of all time in the UK.
Iron Man also came out in 2008. The very first seconds of the film feature the song "Back in Black" by the Australian rock band, AC/DC. From that moment, AC/DC became associated with Tony Stark throughout various films in the MCU. A jukebox musical with the music of AC/DC that tells the origin of Iron Man is a no-brainer.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
Kingsman: The Golden Circle might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the zany characters, world building, and stars are just what is needed to make a successful musical. It doesn't hurt that stars Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, and Taron Egerton have all been in musical films before. Combine their talents with the legendary Sir Elton John and you have a recipe for an addictive new musical.
Make it happen, Hollywood!
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Birds of Prey is one of those movies that unfortunately largely went unnoticed. With a stellar cast and hilarious writing, Birds of Prey is one of the more entertaining entries to come late in the game of the DCEU. Given how theatrical a personality Harley Quinn is, it makes perfect sense to have her lead a musical film about the heartbreak, bonds and bickering that leads to the perfect group of unlikely antiheroes.
A musical would also allow each member of the group of heroes to shine, in ways that they might not have been able to in the film. Remember, Black Canary is a fantastic singer and the film only just scratched the surface of what she was capable of. A musical would give us the singing sensation audiences deserve to see.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming is the perfect coming-of-age movie with so many memorable moments that could easily be made into musical numbers. Who can forget Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes, a.k.a. The Vulture answering the door on homecoming night? Or Tony Stark taking away Peter's suit? How about we see it all again in a musical?
And while Spider-Man isn't new to the musical scene, this iteration of the wall crawler can be placed in a coming-of-age type musical, similar to Dear Evan Hansen or Be More Chill.
The Batman (2022)
Robert Pattinson's portrayal of The Dark Knight was met with universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The song "Something in the Way" by Nirvana is featured towards the beginning and end of the movie, and has all but become associated with The Batman. Make it a grunge jukebox musical that follows the World's Greatest Detective in his investigation of The Riddler, and you have a must-see musical right there.
With musical films likely on the rise following the success of Wicked, the possibilities are endless for what a musical can be adapted from!
What are some comic book movies you'd like to see adapted into musicals?