The 5 Most-Anticipated Filmed Stage Musicals Coming in 2023

These are the 5 pro-shots we are most anticipating in 2023:

1. Aladdin: The Broadway Musical

Originally planned for a much earlier debut on Disney+, the filmed Broadway musical has seen many delays over the last couple of years due to the industry shutdown that made the entertainment giant rethink its release multiple times.

After a leaked Apple TV ad confirmed a 2020 release (and was quickly taken down), cast members who participated in the filming began mentioning the live capture in multiple interviews, but no news was ever shared from official Disney sources as of yet.

Aladdin was filmed thanks to a collaboration between Disney Theatrical Group, Disney+, and STEAM Motion and Sound, who also worked together recently on the off-Broadway capture of Trevor the Musical.

The filmed production, which will get the official title "Aladdin: The Broadway Musical" was actually filmed in the West End a few days after the London production closed at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Disney flew in multiple cast members from all over the world to form an "All-Star" cast headlined by Ainsley Melham, Trevor Dion Nicholas, Jonathan Freeman, and Isabelle McCalla.

The return of the Broadway production following two long years of the industry shutdown made Disney re-think its debut on the streaming platform, which kept being delayed as both the Broadway production and international touring companies tried to get people back to the theater.

While many speculated Disney will finally release the capture to celebrate the original film's 30th anniversary this past November, that never really happened. Disney celebrations tend to last 12 months however, so we could still see Aladdin make its debut on the streamer in 2023 if all goes well.

2. Jersey Boys Live!

Ever since the disappointing film adaptation of Jersey Boys bombed in cinemas, the original creatives wanted to "make it right" and have another go at filming the musical. Nearly a decade after the movie was released, the Broadway creatives decided to go back to the formula that always works - filming the show as-is, on stage, in front of a live audience.

Des McAnuff, who directed the Broadway production, returned to the director's seat and together with Graham King, the original lead producer for the Broadway show, produced an "all-star" stage version that used the original sets and costumes. 

Starring in the filmed production is Nick Joans in the role of Frankie Valli, together with Broadway veteran Andy Karl as Tommy Devito, Michael Urie as Bob Crewe, Matt Bogart as Nick Massi, and CJ Pawlikowski as Bob Gaudio.

The team filmed the musical in August 2021 at the Playhouse Square theatre in Cleveland, Ohio with and without an audience. 

As the 2014 Jersey Boys film was a Universal Production both on Broadway and on-screen (in partnership with GK Films), it could mean that the live capture will be handed over to NBC’s streaming service. 

The film has finished post-production in recent months and an announcement about its future home is expected later this year. In recent interviews, the production team mentioned Jersey Boys will go directly to streaming, with producers hoping to follow the Hamilton, Come From Away, and Girl From the North Country model, releasing the film following a rights bidding war.

3. The Prince of Egypt

Opening in February 2020, The Prince of Egypt struggled to have a proper run at London's Dominion Theatre due to constantly having to shut down because of the pandemic. The musical ultimately closed for good in January 2022, with producers hoping the show will manage to find an audience through a filmed capture of the musical, done in December by Universal Studios International and STEAM Motion and Sound.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), the stage adaptation of the beloved film features 10 new songs along with 5 of his from the DreamWorks Animation film (When You Believe, Deliver Us, All I Ever Wanted, Through Heaven’s Eyes and The Plagues).

STEAM Motion and Sound (known for their recordings of Waitress, Aladdin, Kinky Boots, and Newsies) filmed the show over three performances, both with and without an audience. We covered the filming days with exclusive photos from the work done at the Dominion Theatre.

While no release date was ever given when the filming was officially announced last year, it has now been revealed that the film has finished post-production ahead of a possible release in April 2023. Universal is expected to release the film to cinemas in select markets and later distribute the show on home media.

While we wait for all these exciting live captures, check out what's already available to stream right now.

3. Bonnie and Clyde The Musical

The recent West End staged concert of Frank Wildhorn's Bonnie and Clyde, starring original Broadway cast member Jeremy Jordan, will soon be released in 2023 according to producer David Treatman (The Last Five Years, Fame the Musical).

The short-lived Frank Wildhorn musical received a second chance at life last year when it managed to sell out the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the West End twice (current home to Disney's Frozen).

The concert's success eventually led to a fully-staged West End production which opened in April with most of the staged concert cast (the show is set to reopen in the West End later this year).

According to producer David Treatman, the live capture will soon enable millions around the world to watch the cult-favorite musical with original star Jeremy Jordan. The film is currently in the final stages of post-production and is being "geared up for release", possibly through online streaming.

Producers of the film hope that the capture will reimagine the title for a new generation of audiences, with the pro-shot becoming the ultimate representation of the musical.

The Drury Lane production was filmed live by STEAM Motion & Sound (Heathers: The Musical, Kinky Boots, Waitress) and produced in association with David Treatman Creative, Fourth Wall Live, and DLAP Group.

5. Six the Musical

Perhaps the most anticipated recording of the bunch is the live West End capture of the smash-hit SIX. The global sensation was filmed back in July 2022 by the show's producers for a future release.

What we're most excited about is the return of the original West End cast, which rarely happens with pro-shots of long runners. The cast took over the Vaudeville Theatre for a full week when performances were temporarily suspended to film the show (concluding with two live performances in front of an invited audience).

Directed by Liz Clare, who previously worked on large-scale live concerts (such as Adele - Live at the London Palladium), the musical was filmed in a unique concert-style that is set to give viewers a completely new experience in enjoying the show.

With the success the musical is seeing all over the world, it is likely producers will hold onto the recording for a while before releasing it to the public, Hamilton-style. But could 2023 be the year a streamer put its hand on this recording?

While we wait for all these exciting live captures, check out what's already available to stream right now.