This Broadway season had two giant movie-to-stage musical productions based on early 90s comedies, Mrs. Doubtfire and Mr. Saturday Night. On the one hand, Mr. Saturday Night is still open after its 5 Tony nominations including Best Musical. On the other, Mrs. Doubtfire closed after 83 performances.
Since Disney unlocked the formula to theater success with their stage adaptations of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, Broadway has gone back to the big screen for more inspiration. Shows like Once, Kinky Boots, and Matilda the Musical have turned into worldwide smashes. Others are not so lucky.
Ghost (1990)
After his untimely death, Sam Wheat returns as a ghost and must find a way to warn his girlfriend of her impending danger. In the 1990 romantic fantasy Ghost, Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore were cemented in cinematic history with the iconic imagery of the two molding pottery.
After premiering on the West End in 2011, Ghost: The Musical opened on Broadway in April 2012. The show received mixed reviews and would close later in August 2012.
Leap of Faith (1992)
The 90s Steve Martin comedy Leap of Faith follows Martin as evangelist Jonas Nightengale as he attempts to scam a small town in Kansas. Liam Neeson costars as a sheriff catching on to Nightengale's scheme.
Although he composed many of Disney's most beloved songs, Alan Menkin's new original music wasn't enough to make Leap of Faith a hit on Broadway. After opening to mixed reviews in April 2012, the show closed after 20 performances.
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
The 1993 romcom Honeymoon in Vegas finds Nicholas Cage and Sarah Jessica Parker as a young couple whose elopement is put on hold when a high-stakes gambler - played by James Caan - wedges his way between the two.
In January 2015, the musical adaptation of Honeymoon in Vegas hit Broadway with a score by Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years). The Tony Danza and Rob McClure-led production closed shortly after in April 2015.
Finding Neverland (2004)
Marc Forster's biographic film Finding Neverland follows author J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) as he gets to know the Davies', a family that would serve as his inspiration for Peter Pan. The film would receive seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture.
TV legend Kelsey Grammer and Glee's Matthew Morrison headlined the Broadway adaptation of Finding Neverland when it opened in April 2015. The show would close the next year in August 2016.
Hands on a Hardbody (1997)
The documentary Hands on a Hardbody follows a yearly competition in Longview, Texas. Every year, twenty-four individuals compete to see who can last the longest with their hand touching a pickup truck.
The musical based on the film had a short stint on Broadway, opening in March 2013 and closing within the next month. However, future The Greatest Showman scene-stealer Keala Settle would receive a Tony nomination for her performance as contestant Norma Valverde.
Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway follows a desperate playwright who earns funding by casting a mob boss's girlfriend in his play. The film would receive seven Oscar nominations with a win in Best Supporting Actress for Dianne Wiest.
Bullets Over Broadway the Musical is a jukebox musical, blending the original story with 1920s and 30s jazz standards. The Broadway production opened in 2015 with Scrubs star Zach Braff in the lead role. Although the show closed after 100 performances, it still earned six Tony nominations.
Big (1988)
Penny Marshall's classic 80s comedy Big follows a boy whose wish comes true and turns into a grown adult overnight. The film was a huge hit - grossing over $150 million and making Tom Hanks a household name.
With music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., Big the Musical opened on Broadway in 1996. It quickly closed after 193 performances. Although the production shut down quickly, it still earned five Tony nominations including Best Book and Best Lead Actress in a Musical.
Amélie (2001)
The iconic quirky French rom-com Amélie follows the titular Parisian waitress on her quest to make other people happy. The film was a worldwide smash, collecting five Oscar nominations and making a star of its lead, Audrey Tautou.
Amélie: A New Musical debuted on Broadway in April 2017 with Phillipa Soo of Hamilton fame taking on the titular role. The show quickly closed within two months after middling reviews. Four years later, the West End production earned a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.
Rocky (1976)
Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in the iconic sports film Rocky. The tale follows a small-time boxer as he trains to fight the world heavyweight. Unlike its titular boxer, the film was victorious, taking its small budget and turning it into a Best Picture winner.
With a book co-written by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky the Musical opened in March 2014 with Andy Karl inheriting the titular role. Karl would go on to receive a Tony nomination for his performance. The show would close after 188 performances in August 2014.
Pretty Woman (1990)
Garry Marshall's classic Pretty Woman follows prostitute Vivian Ward as she is hired to escort a businessman to social events. The rom-com classic grossed more than $400 million and earned Julia Roberts her second Oscar nomination.
Pretty Woman: The Musical opened on Broadway in August 2018 with musical theater favorites Samantha Barks and Steve Kazee in the Julia Roberts and Richard Gere roles. The show would run for a year, closing in August 2019.