Odds & Ends: Jonathan Groff Joins The Matrix, Aladdin Live-Action Film to Receive Spinoff Series & More

Here's a quick roundup of stories you might have missed today and this weekend.

Two-Time Tony Nominee Jonathan Groff Tapped for The Matrix 4
From Mindhunter to The Matrix! Two-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff has been keeping busy starring in Little Shop of Horrors and promoting Frozen II, and now he has his next gig lined up. Collider reports that Groff has been tapped to join the cast of The Matrix 4 alongside Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss. The details about his role have not been revealed. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (HBO's Watchmen, Aquaman) will lead the film, and Jada Pinkett Smith will return as Niobe, while the latest film has also added Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris, who is rumored to play a villain. We can't wait to catch Groffsauce on the big screen!

Tony Nominee Billy Magnussen Set for Disney+ Series
For those that wanted to see more of Billy Magnussen in the Aladdin live-action movie: wish granted! The Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Tony nominee will have the opportunity to revisit his character as the haughty Prince Anders from the box office smash. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jordan Dunne and Michael Kvamme will pen the script for a Disney+ spinoff series centered on the funny scene stealer played by Magnussen in the live-action film.

Josh Groban & More Set to Perform at New York Theatre Workshop Gala
New York Theatre Workshop’s 2020 gala will honor Hadestown’s Tony-winning director Rachel Chavkin and producer Jordan Roth at Capitale on February 3. Ana Gasteyer will host the evening, which will also include performers and presenters Josh Groban, Rachel Brosnahan, Anna Deavere Smith, Taylor Mac, André De Shields, Amber Gray, Patrick Page, Dave Malloy, Heather Christian and more. Funds raised at the event help NYTW to mount five productions each season. Proceeds also support NYTW’s Artist Workshop activities through which nearly 2,000 artists develop more than 80 projects each year and their Education Initiatives including Learning Workshop, Mind the Gap and Public Programs that serve over 1,600 students of all ages.

Harry Chapin Stage Musical in the Works
According to Deadline, a biographical stage musical about 1970s singer-songwriter Harry Chapin has received the greenlight from the late Chapin’s wife Sandy and brothers Tom and Steve. Harry Chapin: The Story of a Life will include a book by Michael F. Mitri, a partner and co-founder of Patriot Productions, which most recently produced Broadway’s Be More Chill. The score will consist of Chapin’s songs, including his Grammy-nominated hits “Taxi” and “Cat’s in the Cradle.” The musical will chronicle his career as well as his extensive humanitarian work. Info on a cast and creative team will come at a later date, but Deadline reports that the project is getting ready for an industry presentation in spring 2020.