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Disney is both enterprising and savvy in throwing its entertainment net toward family-oriented attractions to further expand its brand.
It’s worth a closer look at its two latest triumphs:
>> For $75 million and global screening rights, the “Mouse House” has secured Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton,” the Broadway behemoth, in an unprecedented move. It’s a snapshot in time, so to speak, of the stage game-changer, previously preserved on tape with the original company, destined to become a highly anticipated feature film on the big screen on Oct. 15, 2021.
>> Disney also signed Hawaii native Bruno Mars to star in and produce a theatrical musical with the wunderkind superstar performing a score of his original tunes, a move that surely will open new doors and make him a mega movie icon. It is precisely the kind of offer that Mars has been waiting for; his dad, Peter Hernandez, has repeatedly maintained that Mars was not anxious or eager to star in a bio pic or stage endeavor portraying an established rock star; if he was going to plunge into a filmed story with music, it would have to depict him as its creator and centrifugal force. Smart!
Walt Disney Studios’ production president Sean Bailey was integral in securing both projects. So let’s scrutinize a skosh.
BIG DEALS
These are really big deals. “Hamilton” is still anchored at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway where it usually grosses more than $2.5 million weekly (and the only show frequently posting record-breaking $3 million-plus), not including figures from touring companies.
The stage-to-film endeavor is both historic and rare. When was the last time you saw a Broadway musical transferred to the big screen, featuring the entire pivotal original cast? Never. In the past, if a show was wholly taped for viewing to a wider audience, it generally wound up on PBS. A future re-creation of “Hamilton” on film, with a new cinematic cast, might still be in the works a decade from now.
There’s precedence with this unique situation. But complexities may arise come awards time, notably in the Academy Awards. Would Miranda be eligible for a best actor nomination, when the performance already has been fortified onstage? He was a Tony nominee as Alexander Hamilton, but lost to cast mate Leslie Odom Jr., who got his “shot” as best actor in a musical as Aaron Burr; rightfully he’s a potential Oscar contender, too. Thomas Kail, the original director, directed the film version, so will he, too, be a competitor? Would all this be double dipping?
At best, the film, taped over two performances before the original stars left for other endeavors, will include elements stage audiences could never see, like close-ups or multiple angles that include a centerpiece revolving stage. The vocals and orchestrations won’t change, but could be enhanced.
This all will be particularly appealing to those who’ve yet to see the theatrical hit (and there are millions) because of pricey tickets, sellouts or accessibility. The stage viewers would turn out to relive the hip-hop magic that has had a transformational impact on Broadway musical scene. Think about it: You’ll get a dose of “Hamilton” at movie theater prices, not at three-digit (in its heyday, four-digit), inflated admission. …
MARS’ MOVIE
The Mars project is at the starting gate, and details are scanty. But certainly his track record as a pop icon speaks volumes about his potential. His incredible portfolio includes Grammy wins, Top 10 song hits, YouTube music videos, two singularly spectacular Super Bowl half-time shows, a TV special taped at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, a Las Vegas show residency and a sensational stint as a “Saturday Night Live” host.
We in Hawaii first knew him as the Little Elvis in his dad’s Love Notes act, and he’s since paid his dues as an entertainer. Perhaps movies will be his next frontier, using music and dance as part of his growth and ascent, the way his kid-time hero, Elvis Presley shaped and defined his megastar supremacy in his heyday.
There’s no indication of a plot or script at this point, but surely the Mars project he’ll produce would focus on a musician with charisma and his ability to be agile and astronomical. Mars doesn’t yet have a biography on which a film can be formulated, simply because he’s still too young, and his story continues to unfold and expand.
Loved the way Mars announced, via Instagram, the deal. He’s seen at a piano, back toward the camera, plucking out a refrain from “When You Wish Upon a Star,” the wistful melody from “Pinocchio.” And his post: “If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme, when you wish upon a star. …”
Mars assuredly will ease into the Disney family, doing additional projects, as Miranda has. If you recall, Miranda’s entree into Disney turf was his role in “Mary Poppins Returns;” he’s now contributing new music, working with composer Alan Menken, for a live-action version of “The Little Mermaid.” Not a bad place for these M&M dudes to set anchor. …
AROUND TOWN
Did you catch “Magnum P.I.” two weeks ago with celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi appearing in two scenes, once at a gambling table and the second onstage in a karaoke singing of “I Will Survive”? (No, he didn’t sing). It was the second time Yamaguchi has been tapped on the CBS series; the first was in the series’ first season. …
Singers Shari Lynn and Kip Wilborn and pianist Jim Howard repeat their Cole Porter bio-musicale at 4 p.m. today at the KHPR studio, but it’s already sold out. …
And that’s “Show Biz.”
Wayne Harada is a veteran entertainment columnist. Reach him at 266-0926 or wayneharada@gmail.com.
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