The Hidden Message

Mean Girls (2024)

Musicals are in again - but the audience doesn't know it. They won't find it in the fine print, because it is not there. Neither on the trailers. As a matter of fact, they won't notice it until watching the film and realizing that the story is being sung and danced by the actors. That is when viewers will finally understand that they are watching a musical. How come? Forbes explores the possibility of studios disguising the genre.

Surprise!

Despite not being advertised as such, movies like Wonka, The Color Purple, Mean Girls, Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir The Movie, and Leo are all musicals - to the audience's surprise! In the case of Mean Girls and The Color Purple, marketing is clearly not conveying the message that they are not a sequel and a remake, respectively. Both are indeed adaptations of the Broadway musicals.

Pulling Out All The Stops

As Deadline states, the musical genre was nearly dead during Covid, with high-budget films West Side Story and In the Heights bombing in viewership (but again, this was in 2021, the most difficult year ever for movie theaters). This certainly changed the previous scenario in which La La Land, The Greatest Showman, and Hamilton became huge hits - and the belief that music would attract moviegoers.

Don't Mention It!

As THR explains, the problem seems to be with the word "musical", which draws a lot of people away from movie theaters. If there is a pre-formed prejudice around the genre, studios are dodging it by leaving out any mentions of music in their marketing campaigns.

Striking a Chord

Truth be told: studios have a higher chance of a greater box office by hiding any signs of a musical in a trailer. Luring an audience that wouldn't have otherwise bothered to pay for a ticket into the theaters seems to be the current strategy.

Playing It By Ear

As The Guardian explains, musicals tend to perform better in movie theaters. The big screen is much more suited for singing and dancing numbers, while the small screens can flat the audience's experience. The question is: should people be informed about what they are paying for before stepping into the dark rooms?

We hope you have a lively 2024, filled with music, dance, and movies!

Cheers,

Laura Malin and Luisa Melo