Grab Some Popcorn! A Guide to Upcoming Movies Featuring Broadway Favorites

While this fall is full of new Broadway productions, there is also a bevy of stage stars hitting the big screen. From play and musical adaptations and filmed stage productions to theater directors, playwrights and stars lending their talent to movies, there's something for theater fan in the fall film season. Read on for a guide to spotting your faves in the new movies coming out this year.

A Jazzman's Blues
How to Watch: Now streaming on Netflix
Theater Connection: Solea Pfieffer, Joshua Boone and Austin Scott
Almost Famous star Solea Pfeiffer and Broadway alums Joshua Boone (Skeleton Crew) and Austin Scott (Girl From the North Country) star in Tyler Perry's tale of forbidden love and family drama that unravels 40 years of secrets and lies against a soundtrack of blues music in the Deep South. 

Heathers: The Musical
How to Watch: Now streaming on Roku 
Theater Connection: Filmed on stage at London's the Other Palace
Based on the 1988 movie of the same name, Heathers: The Musical is directed for the stage by Andy Fickman and features choreography by Gary Lloyd with a book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O'Keefe. This filmed stage production stars Ailsa Davidson as Veronica Sawyer, Simon Gordon as Jason “J.D” Dean, Maddison Firth as Heather Chandler, Vivian Panka as Heather Duke and Teleri Hughes as Heather McNamara. It was filmed at London's the Other Palace, where the musical is currently running. 

Hocus Pocus 2
How to Watch: Streaming on Netflix beginning September 30
Theater Connection: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy and Hannah Waddingham
The Sanderson sisters return in the long-awaited sequel of the 1993 film. Tony winnner Bette Midler (Hello, Dolly!) and Broadway alums Sarah Jessica Parker (Plaza Suite) and Kathy Najimy (Dirty Blonde) reunite as the witches who are now plotting to take over present-day Salem. Three-time Olivier nominee Hannah Waddingham (Kiss Me, Kate) joins the cast as The Witch, a mysterious and sinister woman.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
How to Watch: In theaters beginning October 7
Theater Connection: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
This live-action musical is based on the bestselling book series by Bernard Waber and features original songs by Oscar, Grammy, Tony and Golden Globe Award-winning songwriting team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen). Featuring Shawn Mendes as the voice of Lyle, the movie also stars Constance Wu, Javier Bardem, Brett Gelman, Scoot McNairy and Winslow Fegley. The movie is directed and produced by Will Speck and Josh Gordon with a screenplay by Will Davies. 

The School for Good & Evil
How to Watch: Streaming on Netflix beginning October 19
Theater Connection: Sophia Anne Caruso, Patti LuPone, Kerry Washington and Laurence Fishburne 
 Based on the first novel in the popular Soman Chainani book series, this fillm stars Broadway alums Kerry Washington (American Son) and Sophia Anne Caruso (Beetlejuice) as well as Tony winners Patti LuPone (Company) and Laurence Fishburne (American Buffalo). Directed by Paul Feig with a screenplay penned by David Magee and Feig, the film follows best friends Sophie (Caruso) and Agatha (Wylie) as they discover a school where students are trained to become fairy tale heroes and villains.

My Policeman
How to Watch: In theaters beginning October 21, streaming on Amazon Prime Video beginning November 4
Theater Connection: Michael Grandage, Emma Corrin, David Dawson and Rupert Everett 
This film adaptation of Bethan Roberts' My Policeman is directed by Tony and Olivier winner Michael Grandage (Red) and features London stage star Emma Corrin (Orlando), Broadway alum Rupert Everett (Blithe Spirit), Olivier nominee David Dawson (The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby) and pop star Harry Styles. The film, which is set in 1950s Brighton, follows Tom Burgess (Styles), a gay policeman, who marries school teacher Marion Taylor (Corrin) while being in a relationship with Patrick Hazlewood (Dawson), a museum curator. 

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
How to Watch: Streaming on Roku beginning November 4
Theater Connection: Daniel Radcliffe
Stage and screen star Daniel Radcliffe (Merrily We Roll Along) portrays Grammy-winning musician "Weird Al" Yankovic in the bio-pic co-written by Yankovic and Eric Appel, who also directs. 

Causeway
How to Watch: In theaters beginning November 4
Theater Connection: Lila Neugebauer, Brian Tyree Henry, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Linda Emond, Russell Harvard, Jayne Houdyshell, Will Pullen and Neal Huff
Theater director Lila Neugebauer helms this psychological drama that follows Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence), a soldier who suffers a traumatic brain injury while deployed in Afghanistan and struggles to adjust to life back home. A slew of stage stars appear in the film, including Brian Tyree Henry (Lobby Hero), Tony nominee and upcoming Between Riverside and Crazy star Stephen McKinley Henderson, three-time Tony nominee Linda Emond (Cabaret), Russell Harvard (To Kill a Mockingbird), Tony winner and current The Music Man member Jayne Houdyshell, Will Pullen (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Neal Huff (To Kill a Mockingbird). 

The Son
How to Watch: In theaters beginning November 11
Theater Connection: Based on Florian Zeller's Le Fils
The Son is based on Florian Zeller's 2018 play Le Fils and serves as a follow-up to The Father, Zeller's Oscar-winning screen adaptation of his Tony-nominated play of the same name. Starring The Music Man headliner and Tony winner Hugh Jackman, Olivier winner Anthony Hopkins and Laura Dern, the film tells the story of Peter (Jackman) as his busy life with his new partner and their baby is thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate (Dern) turns up with their teenage son, Nicholas. The play had a sold-out run at London's Kiln Theatre, followed by a West End transfer in 2019. 

Spirited
How to Watch: In theaters beginning November 11, streaming on Apple TV beginning November 18
Theater Connection: Patrick Page and Joe Tippett
Tony nominee Patrick Page, who is currently starring as Hades in Hadestown, and Broadway alum Joe Tippett appear alongside screen stars Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer in this modern musical rendition of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday story A Christmas Carol.

The Inspection
How to Watch: In theaters beginning November 18
Theater Connection: Jeremy Pope
Two-time Tony nominee Jeremy Pope, who will appear on stage this season as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Anthony McCarten's The Collaboration, stars in this drama about the closeted Ellis French who enlists in the Marine Corps. 

Disenchanted
How to Watch: Streaming on Disney+ beginning November 24
Theater Connection: Idina Menzel, Stephen Schwartz and Alan Menken
A sequel to the 2007 film Enchanted, this new movie musical sees the return of Tony winner Idina Menzel (Wicked), Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden with Gabriella Baldacchino, Maya Rudolph, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jayma Mays, Oscar Nunez and Griffin Newman joining the cast. Award-winning songwriters Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and Alan Menken (Aladdin) also reunited to write new songs for the project.

Matilda
How to Watch: Streaming on Netflix beginning December 9
Theater Connection: Based on the award-winning musical
Based on the 2013 musical by Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly and adapted from Roald Dahl's children's novel, Matilda is the story of a little girl who dreams of a better life. Alisha Weir plays the title role alongside Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull and Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey. Tony winner Matthew Warchus, who garnered one of his seven Tony nominations for directing Matilda on Broadway, helms the adaptation. Original scribe Kelly and songwriter Minchin are also part of the creative team.

The Whale
How to Watch: In theaters beginning December 9
Theater Connection: Based on Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale
This psychological drama is based on Samuel D. Hunter's Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Award-winning play of the same name. The film stars Broadway alums Brendan Fraser (Elling) and Sadie Sink (Annie) and tells the story of 600-pound middle-aged Charlie (Fraser) as he tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter (Sink). 

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
How to Watch: Streaming on Netflix beginning December 23
Theater Connection: Daniel Craig, Leslie Odom Jr., Ethan Hawke and Kathryn Hahn
Recent Macbeth star Daniel Craig returns as Detective Benoit Blanc in this sequel to the 2019 mystery. Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), Tony nominee Ethan Hawke (True West) and Broadway alum Kathryn Hahn (Boeing, Boeing) and more star in the murder mystery.