Disney Making ‘Oliver Twist’ Movie Musical With Ice Cube And ‘Hamilton’ Director Thomas Kail
Another day, another big announcement about Disney’s plans to remake a classic tale. But this one sounds a little more offbeat than most. The Mouse House is planning anOliver Twistmovie musical, withIce Cubeset to play Fagin and (wait for it)HamiltondirectorThomas Kailset to helm. It might not sound like the most obvious combination, but then again neither did hip-hop and the American Revolution, and look how that turned out.
First published in the 1830s,Charles Dickens’Oliver Twistfollows a poor orphan boy who is put to work at a very young age. He later comes under the wing of the criminal Fagin and his gang of juvenile pickpockets, including the Artful Dodger. As Oliver’s adventure continues, he suffers betrayals, comes under the care of kinder people, and eventually learns the truth about his past.
Oliver Twisthas been adapted many, many times before. Among the most famous adaptations are the stage musicalOliver!, which debuted on the West End in 1960 and has been revived countless times since. Disney previously tackled the story in their 1988 animated featureOliver and Company, which reimagined most of the characters as cute animals living in New York. And there are other versions ofOliver Twistin the works even now includingthe steampunk retellingDodge and Twistand, for some reason,a “sexy” crime procedural TV seriescalledTwist.The Hollywood Reporterdescribes Disney’s newOliver Twistas a “modern and musical take” that will cross genres including hip-hop. In addition to starring as Fagin, Cube will team withJeff Kwatinetzto write the treatment and produce. Also producing isMarc Platt(La La Land,Mary Poppins Returns, Broadway’sWicked).
Kail is the Tony-winning director of Lin-Manuel Miranda’sHamiltonandIn the Heights. He also picked up an Emmy earlier this year for directing Fox’sGrease: Live. Disney is already all-in with Kail’s buddy Miranda — he’s written music forStar Wars: The Force AwakensandMoanaand is set to do so again forThe Little Mermaid, and he stars in the upcomingMary Poppins Returns. Miranda may be insistent thatno one is making aHamiltonmovieanytime soon, but through some smart hires, Disney’s still found a way to cash in on the craze.
