A Happy Feet stage musical is in development as the team eyes up a Broadway production.
Happy Feet is being adapted into a stage musical.
The 2006 animated classic, which follows a young penguin called Mumble (Elijah Wood) with extraordinary dancing skills, is being lined up for a Broadway show from Tony-winning director Michael Arden.
The synopsis reads: “Born into a world that measures worth by song, Mumble’s extraordinary dancing sets him apart — and sends him on a life-changing adventure that challenges tradition, celebrates individuality, and reveals the power of daring to be different.”
Legally Blonde producer Dori Berinstein has announced the news, with a creative team including book writer Douglas Lyons.
The Fraggle Rock writer is joined by a choreography team featuring Funny Girls’ Ayodele Casel, along with The Lost Boys and Parade duo Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher ‘Cree’ Grant.
As well as songs from the film, the musical will include “a lineup of chart-topping favourites”, according to a press release.
The original movie soundtrack featured songs from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Freddie Mercury, The Beatles and The Beach Boys.
It also included Prince’s The Song of the Heart, which was written for the film itself.
Director George Miller, who helmed the 2006 movie, will be part of the theatre project as a creative producer.
The original movie starred Wood as Mumble, who was ostracised for his lack of singing talents, but overcame those obstacles thanks to his tap dancing skills.
The voice cast also featured the likes of Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy and Robin Williams.
After pulling in over $384 million worldwide and winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, a sequel – Happy Feet Two – was released in 2011.
The second film focused on Mumble’s son Erik (E.G. Daily) trying to find his own talents, with much of the original cast reprising their roles.
However, Miller previously insisted he had no plans to turn the movies into a trilogy unless he stumbled on the right idea.
He told Collider in 2011: “If you put a gun to my head and said, ‘You have to come up with a story for Happy Feet 3’, I’d say shoot me.
“I would have no idea. I really would have no idea. The stories creep up on you. You just have to allow the stories to come, and then they get in like little ear worms in your head and they won’t go away.
“If that happens and we’ve got the energy, we’ll do a third one. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. That’s the only way you can do it. It has to be authentic.”
Happy Feet could be bringing dancing penguins to Broadway
