Will ‘Back to the Future’ Make a Leap to Broadway?

Not all movie-to-Broadway musical adaptations are disasters.  Both The Producers and Spamalot made a lot of money as musical comedies, and Disney has done pretty well in the last 20 years with its revolving stable of movie-to-musical adaptations.  But yeah, there have been a number of colossal failures, mainly because of misguided attempts to translate a cinematic property into a hit Broadway show.

As for a potential Back to the Future: The Musical, I’d really hope it falls into the first category, not the second.  Something tells me it won’t though…

Yes, according to Deadline Back to the Future writers/producers Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale and composer Alan Silvestri are exploring the possibilities of bringing the beloved 1985 classic film to Broadway.  Frankly I’m not sure how a film that extensively uses special effects could be portrayed in a live stage setting, but we’ve all seen how probably the most technical musical of all time, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, was able to overcome its mechanical mishaps to become a box office smash (which it will have to be for another six decades or so to recoup the money spent).  I guess I’m also disappointed that Huey Lewis — who composed the classics “Power of Love” and “Back in Time” for the film’s soundtrack — hasn’t been consulted yet either.

The group might be on to something though — 1980s themed musicals like Rock of Ages and The Wedding Singer (another movie-to-musical adaptation) have done strong business at the Broadway box office — with Rock of Ages actually doing movie-to-musical in reverse.  But I swear, if this turns out to have some clown dressed up like Christopher Lloyd singing “Oh Mar-tee!  / You have to come back with me!” I’m definitely cracking skulls.

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