Josh Gad News

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented twosome who are responsible for the songs for Disney's biggest hit film of all time, international blockbuster FROZEN, as well as the brains behind a spectacular new specialty song composed expressly for this week's episode of FX's new comedy series THE COMEDIANS - the affable and accomplished Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson Lopez. Discussing the finer points of composing a new tune for their FROZEN and BOOK OF MORMON collaborator Josh Gad especially for the series, a duet with no less than fellow Broadway headliner and Hollywood icon Billy Crystal, the Lopezes open up about their work process and storied history shared with Gad as well as what we can expect from the showstopper on tonight's new episode of the series. Additionally, the Lopezes shed some light on their brand new stage musical premiering later this year at the La Jolla Playhouse, UP HERE, and offer a preliminary sneak peek of what audiences can expect from the daring and original new piece. Plus, thoughts on the upcoming stage version of FROZEN and what is being planned for the hotly anticipated tuner as well as a behind the scenes recapitulation of penning new material for the FROZEN characters in the recent short film FROZEN FEVER, featuring the new composition 'Making Today A Perfect Day'. All of that, BOOK OF MORMON and AVENUE Q memories, thoughts on Tom Cruise potentially starring in their big screen project BOB: THE MUSICAL and much more with two of the most in demand songwriters on Broadway and in Hollywood.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: JASPER IN DEADLAND starts in Seattle, Menzel chats with Corden and more!

SHOWTIME and Fox 21 Television Studios have announced today that season five of the Emmy® and Golden Globe® award winning series HOMELAND will shoot on location in Germany. 

Disney's live-action BEAUTY AND THE BEAST continues to add to its ranks! According to Variety, Stanley Tucci has joined the star-studded cast as 'Cadenza', a new character -- a grand piano described as 'a neurotic maestro.'

The hilarious and talented actor Josh Gad stopped by CBS's THE TALK yesterday to discuss working alongside Billy Crystal in their new show, "The Comedians' on the FX network. Watch the appearance below!

Universal Studios has beat out Paramount and Disney for the previously reported untitled musical comedy starring Josh Gad and featuring original songs by the award-winning composer lyricist team of Alan Menken (ALADDIN) and Stephen Schwartz. (PIPPIN)

On Twitter Watch, Josh Gad wrote ' that stage veteran and film star Ian McKellen has joined Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST as 'Cogsworth'. Set for a release on March 17, 2017, the beloved tale will be retold for the big screen with a modern live-action lens and the help of transformative CG magic. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Emma Watson and Dan Stevens will star as Belle and the Beast/Prince respectively, and Luke Evans will play the role of Gaston. Emma Thompson has joined the cast as Mrs. Potts and Kevin Kline as Belle's father, Maurice. As BWW announced previously, Josh Gad will reportedly take on the role of Le Fou, with six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald playing Garderobe. Eight-time Oscar-winner Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards for the 1991 animated classic, will score the new BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which will feature new recordings of the original songs in addition to several new songs written by Menken and Sir Tim Rice. Bill Condon will direct from a script by Stephen Chbosky, and the film will be produced by Mandeville Films' David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. Production begins in May at Shepperton Studios in London. Disney also recently announced it will be creating live-action versions of MULAN and PINOCCHIO, joining reboots of THE JUNGLE BOOK, PETE'S DRAGON and WINNIE THE POOH. The live-action adaptation of CINDERELLA, starring Lily James, just hit the big screen this winter. McKellen was last seen on the big screen as 'Gandalf' in THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (a role he originated in THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) and will soon appear in MR. HOLMES and THE DRESSER. He is also well known for his role as 'Magneto' in the X-MEN movies. The Olivier-winning, classically trained actor last starred on Broadway in NO MAN'S LAND and WAITING FOR GODOT opposite Patrick Stewart. Before that, he appeared in DANCE OF DEATH, IAN MCKELLEN: A KNIGHT OUT AT THE LYCEUM, WILD HONEY, IAN MCKELLEN: ACTING SHAKESPEARE, AMADEUS -- which earned him a Tony Award in 1981 -- and THE PROMISE. McKellen was a member of the Old Vic and has performed at the Chichester Festival, in the West End, and with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre and more. 1991's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was an animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the traditional French fairy tale of the same name by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont,Beauty and the Beast is the 30th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. Additionally, it is third in the Disney Renaissance period. Starring Paige O'Hara and Robby Benson, Beauty and the Beast focuses on the relationship between the Beast (Benson), a prince who is magically transformed into a monster as punishment for his arrogance, and Belle (O'Hara), a young woman who he imprisons in his castle. The film also features the voices of Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, and Angela Lansbury, who occupy supporting roles. The film was a box office success, and has since garnered over $424 million worldwide. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST was nominated for several awards, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Beauty and the Beast became the first animated film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture; it also received five additional Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Score, Best Sound, and three separate nominations for Best Original Song. Ultimately, the film won Best Original Score, while Best Original Song was awarded to its title song. In 2002, Beauty and the Beast was deemed 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. In April 1994, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST became Disney's first animated film to be adapted into a Broadway musical. '

Deadline writes that Broadway and FROZEN vet Josh Gad and writer/director Jeremy Garelick just unveiled an untitled musical comedy project featuring tunes by the legendary Alan Menken, with lyrics by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz.

FX's newest series, THE COMEDIANS will make its television debut tonight, April 9, 2015. Led by Tony Award-winner Billy Crystal and Tony nominee Josh Gad, THE COMEDIANS will have 8 episodes, with air times set for 10pm ET. Check out a trailer for the show below!

James Van Der Beek and Josh Gad stopped by last night's LATE LATE SHOW. Below, check out highlights from the appearance

On last night's LATE LATE SHOW, when guestJosh Gad is nowhere to be found during James Corden's nightly guest check-in, the actor shows up in the audience with a desire to host the show.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: Jonathan Groff discusses his career today, a starry CAROUSEL begins in Chicago, and AN AMERICAN IN PARIS opens this Sunday!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: WOLF HALL brings the Tudors to Broadway, CLINTON officially takes its campaign off-Broadway and more!

Megan Mullally, who most recently appeared on Broadway in IT'S ONLY A PLAY, will stop by tonight's LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN. Other guests include actor Rob Corddry and comedian Tig Notaro.

A growing number of the most noted celebrities in the entertainment industry are calling on Mayor de Blasio to reverse his administration's recent decision completely cutting funding to the only two agencies dedicated to helping all NYC foster children find adoptive families.

What a renaissance - again! Although the period beginning with THE LITTLE MERMAID in 1989 through to the doubleheader of POCAHANTAS in 1995 and THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME in 1996 and ending with MULAN in 1997 is considered by House Of Mouse superfans and many entertainment enthusiasts as the official Disney Renaissance era - meaning the company once again came to major prominence as a direct result of its animated musicals - it very much looks as if an entirely new type of Disney rebirth is in the process of occurring, spurred on by the worldwide success of the esteemed company's most successful animated feature to date, the highly theatrical and Broadway pedigreed FROZEN. Of course, in any way matching an era which in addition to MERMAID, POCAHANTAS, HUNCHBACK and MULAN shepherded BEAUTY & THE BEAST, ALADDIN and THE LION KING from inspiration to actuality would be a high order, if not outright impossible, yet it seems that the recent, current and upcoming spate of ingenuously timed and expertly devised projects that Disney possesses at the moment could put them in that stratospheric level of uber entity once again in the industry - and in the hearts and minds of millions around the world, as well.