Steven Speilberg's "Hook" a good movie musical adaptation idea?

[Steven9]

I have been getting pretty tired of the constant need to adapt a movie into a musical. But I have wondered my whole life why they never did it with the 1991 film Hook? They literally have adapted every Peter Pan Adaptation except this one, and I believe that this one has the most intriguing plot. True, the movie had its flaws (mainly the script), but that's a perfect opportunity to make it better. And to be able to incorporate the John Williams score would be such a treat. This movie was my childhood favorite and I do believe a stage adaptation would be really good! I have done some dream casting (Terrence Mann as Hook, Norbert Leo Butz as Peter Banning/Peter Pan, Laura Benanti as Tinker Bell, Dan Fogler as Smee, Jake and Sydney Lucas as Jack and Maggie and Angela Lansbury as Granny Wendy).  I do know when they orginally thought of the idea for Hook, they intially did concept it as a musical but then it just stemmed to film. I just think it would be successful of done right.

[dramamama611]

Wasn't it both a financial AND critical failure?  The only things I really remember was how annoying the untalented children were and how awful Juliaa Roberts was.

[Mattbrain]

Yes but the movie has also gained a massive cult following like Newsies.

[Keiichi2]

I seem to remember that John Williams' score for the film was largely taken from a failed Peter Pan musical that he was working on at one time.  That song the little girl sings at one point of the film was taken from it.

[PalJoey]

 

Leave Peter Pan aloooooooooone.

 

[FindingNamo]

But I'm sure you'll agree we need a Peter Pan vs Carrie musical.

[JBroadway]

I adore this movie, and I even think it could make a good musical in the right hands. But i think Pal Joey said it best. Leave Peter Pan alone - at least for a while.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

One wishes someone had told Jim Steinman the same...

[TerrenceIsTheMann]

Who is Chris Lucas?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Wasn't it both a financial AND critical failure?

 

Critical failure? Yes. Financial failure? It made over $300,000,000 worldwide against a $70,000,000 budget.

[Steven9]

Keiichi2 said: "I seem to remember that John Williams' score for the film was largely taken from a failed Peter Pan musical that he was working on at one time.  That song the little girl sings at one point of the film was taken from it.

 

Two songs were taken from it but not the score. The sscore is considred to be the best aspect of the movie.

 

"

 

[Steven9]

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Wasn't it both a financial AND critical failure?

 

 

 

Critical failure? Yes. Financial failure? It made over $300,000,000 worldwide against a $70,000,000 budget.

 

It got mixed reviews from critics. Some liked it, some didn't. It wasn't really a critical faliure.

 

"

 

[Steven9]

I agree that it doesn't need to happen for a while, but I do think it is a better and mor einteresting idea than turning Finding Neverland into a musical.

[Steven9]

It did have some bad aspects to it. Even Steven Spielberg admitted that he is not pleased with it. But the one thing everyone has mostly agreed on is that the story is a phenomenal idea "What of Peter Pan grew up." I feel of someone gave the sjow a "Newsies" treatment it could be so successful.

[JoseLee_]

I'm sick of Peter Pan adaptions.. No one wants to hear a crappy generic pirate song.

[Keiichi2]

JoseLee_ said: "I'm sick of Peter Pan adaptions.. No one wants to hear a crappy generic pirate song."

 

I don't know if you've seen Pan, the movie with Hugh Jackman, but there, the pirates sing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for reasons unexplained.  Is that better? :P

[AEA Stage Manager]

Hook at one time was being prepped for a Musical film per Wiki 

"The film score was composed and conducted by John Williams. Williams was brought in at an early stage when Spielberg was considering making the film as a musical. Accordingly, Williams wrote around eight songs for the project at this stage. The idea was later abandoned. Most of Williams's song ideas were incorporated into the instrumental score, though two songs survive as songs in the finished film: "We Don't Wanna Grow Up" and "When You're Alone", both with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse."

Also years ago working with Mary Bond Davis ( Smees girl in the movie ), said she recorded a ton of songs and they even filmed production numbers that were later scrapped from the final movie after test audiences hated that it was a musical. 

[Steven9]

AEA Stage Manager said: "Hook at one time was being prepped for a Musical film per Wiki 

 

"The film score was composed and conducted by John Williams. Williams was brought in at an early stage when Spielberg was considering making the film as a musical. Accordingly, Williams wrote around eight songs for the project at this stage. The idea was later abandoned. Most of Williams's song ideas were incorporated into the instrumental score, though two songs survive as songs in the finished film: "We Don't Wanna Grow Up" and "When You're Alone", both with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse."

 

Also years ago working with Mary Bond Davis ( Smees girl in the movie ), said she recorded a ton of songs and they even filmed production numbers that were later scrapped from the final movie after test audiences hated that it was a musical. 

 

"This is true, but I believe that it would work better seeing as a film was actually made, and it has a solid floorplan." 

 

[Roscoe]

Enough of this Peter Pan sh*t already.  And especially not a musical of Spielberg's horror, one of his very worst films.  

[CarlosAlberto]

Roscoe said: "Enough of this Peter Pan sh*t already.  And especially not a musical of Spielberg's horror, one of his very worst films. "

 

Yeah, I would have to agree with Roscoe. Enough already. 

 

[CapnHook]

The idea was explored to make HOOK a musical, either as a film but also as a stage venture, in the late 80s. We know the outcome.

The rights to adapt the film into a theatrical venture were acquired in the late 90s/early 00s, but that Producer failed to realize the stage adaptation. Or should I say, has yet to. I'm unsure when their rights agreement expires. I would think it has by now.

And while the world SHOULD be sick by all these adaptations of Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland, obviously there is so much financial prospects that producers/studios/authors keep them coming.

[JBroadway]

I like that the user named CapnHook joined in this particular discussion

[BroadMagTech]

Speaking of Peter Pan, I would love to see a top notch revival done on Broadway in a few years, possibly Lincoln center. Or maybe even a Broadway revival of J.M Barrie's Peter Pan

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

 

We don't need any more Peter Pan anything for a long long long long long long time.