According to Variety, Zadan and Meron will again work with "Hairspray" songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who would write an original score for the picture. A screenwriter has not been named. Shaiman and Wittman are Tony Award winners for their Broadway score of Hairspray and have penned songs for the new Broadway-bound musical Catch Me If You Can. The property that Mattel is launching has not been made public, but will reportedly "add a fresh twist to monster lore," Variety reported.

Zadan told Playbill.com, "It is unique, clever, and lends itself to a four-quadrant family movie musical with, in success, sequels, and later, a Broadway musical and even a television series down the road."

"This is a new step for us — a real opportunity to launch a new intellectual property on multiple platforms," Tim Kilpin, general manager for Mattel Brands' Girls, Boys & Games Group, said. "It has a broad family appeal and the ability to translate as a musical, (in) publishing and (to) other venues."

Zadan told the trade paper, "Neil and I have been looking for an original movie musical franchise for several years, and we feel this one is it. It really has long-term potential, and it will spin the monster genre on its ear."

Zadan and Meron were executive producers of "Chicago," and are producing a new film of "Footloose."