As a corollary to the whole thing about never starting a land war in Asia, there should probably be something on the dangers of getting too excited about a Broadway musical stuck in development turnaround, but here we are, faced with the possibility of a Princess Bride musical maybe, actually happening. Broadway News reported this morning that Disney Theatrical has hired The Band’s Visit composer David Yazbek (who’s coming back to Broadway this spring with Tootsie) to write the score for a stage adaptation of The Princess Bride, with Rick Elice (of Jersey Boys and The Cher Show) and Bob Martin (of The Drowsy Chaperone and The Prom) writing the book.
The late William Goldman wrote the 1987 movie and was involved in previous efforts to bring it to Broadway, including one involving The Light in the Piazza’s Adam Guettel. 20th Century Fox originally produced the Rob Reiner movie with Alan Horn, who’s now the head of Disney, and who brought the property to Disney Theatrical before the whole Disney-Fox merger made Buttercup a Disney princess, anyway. Broadway News reports that Disney is “evaluating the opportunities and new business this acquisition might present,†though it’s unclear at the moment how it might merge with Fox’s theatrical arm, as the studio has produced and licensed shows of its own (Fox Stage is behind the upcoming version of The Devil Wears Prada). Anyway, what will it take for us to get Avatar: the Musical now?