One of the most beloved animated movies ever made is swirling, twirling, and tap-dancing its way to Broadway two decades after it hit theaters.
George Miller’s 2006 jukebox musical comedy “Happy Feet” won the Best Animated Feature Oscar at the 79th Academy Awards. It beat Pixar’s “Cars” and Sony’s “Monster House” to the prestigious accolade.
The Warner Bros. offering told the story of a tap-dancing Emperor Penguin called Mumble. He lacks the ability to sing a heartsong, which means he struggles to attract a soulmate. Per IMDb, the plot description is as follows: “Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!”
It featured an incredible cast of voice actors, a few of whom are sadly no longer with us. The cast included Elijah Wood as Mumble, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, Anthony LaPaglia, Magda Szubanski, E.G. Daily, and Steve Irwin.
Per People, a Broadway adaptation of “Happy Feet” is indeed in the works. The film has already spawned a 2011 sequel and a 4-D theme park attraction
A Talented Group Are Adapting ‘Happy Feet’
GettyPeople says that “Happy Feet” is being adapted into a Broadway musical by Tony Award winning director Michael Arden, book writer Douglas Lyons, and choreographers Ayodele Casel, Lauren Yalango-Grant, and Christopher “Cree” Grant.
George Miller, now 81, will work on the project as a creative producer.
Tony Award-winning musical producer Dori Bernstein assembled the creative team and announced the adaptation on Tuesday, March 31.
The musical will feature all of the hit songs from the motion picture version of “Happy Feet,” but they’ll be accompanied by a line-up of chart-topping favorites that audiences of all ages know and love. The musical is set to deliver a joyful and toe-tapping score that will have everyone in attendance singing along and clapping their hands.
‘Happy Feet’ Was Hugely Successful
GettyOriginally released in the United States on 17 November, 2006, the “Happy Feet” movie was a huge success, both critically and commercially.
Obviously, winning an Oscar is a great indication that it was well received critically. However, its impressive Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 76% is an ongoing reminder of that.
Commercially, it grossed over $384 million worldwide (per Box Office Mojo). That’s an extremely healthy return on its $100 million budget.
It will be interesting to see if the musical adaptation pays tribute to the “Happy Feet” cast members who are no longer with us. Robin Williams (1951-2014), Brittany Murphy (1977-2009), and Steve Irwin (1962-2006) have all passed since playing their parts in the movie.
Hopefully, the musical version will be just as successful as the movie. It’s not yet known who will star in it or when performances will begin. Regardless, we can’t wait to see it.
That’s fantastic news! I remember being blown away by that film as a kid, it’s great to see it getting a new audience.