Jekyll & Hyde Headed to the Silver Screen

By Andrew Gans
14 Dec 2005

Jonathan Larson's "Rent" is currently in movie theatres around the country, and Mel Brooks' "The Producers" is just about to open. Now comes word that another Broadway musical will head to the silver screen.

Variety reports that Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse's Jekyll & Hyde, which opened on Broadway in 1997, is set to make the leap from stage to screen. Lyricist Bricusse will pen the film adaptation. No casting or production dates have been announced.

The "Jekyll & Hyde" film will be produced by The Hatchery in partnership with Grand Illusions Media Partners. Producers include Jonathan Sanger, Dan Angel, Margaret Loesch and Ed Elbert; executive producers are writers Wildhorn and Bricusse as well as Bruce Stein and Sarah Ryan.

Producer Sanger told Variety, "We think Jekyll and Hyde is a sexy, edgy property with a great pedigree, especially now that the world is safe for musicals."

Jekyll & Hyde features book and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and music by Frank Wildhorn. The musical opened at Broadway's Plymouth Theatre April 28, 1997, playing 1,543 performances before closing Jan. 7, 2001. The original New York company included Linda Eder, Christiane Noll and Robert Cuccioli.