Why Are Musicals Out?

My first musical experience was watching, like many other people born in the 2000s, High School Musical (2006). Seeing Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens slide and dance around my screen was fascinating. In many ways, nearly all childhood movies, specifically Disney princess movies, are musicals. It was just something I grew up watching. 

I continued to explore more unconventional musicals, like Footloose (1984), La La Land (2016), and even The Muppets (2011). I didn’t typically classify them as musicals because they had so many more plot elements. I noticed that there weren’t as many stereotypical musicals. They weren’t being produced every year like many other genres, such as horror, drama, or romcoms. 

So, when I joined my film class and learned the origins of musicals while watching arguably the most famous musical of all time, West Side Story (1961), I realized so few movies are doing it like they used to. Why exactly did musicals go from being the backbone of entertainment to now being pushed out of the script?

The Golden age

To understand why musicals are “out”, we have to look at how they began. Born out of Broadway and Vaudeville theater, musicals were the ultimate cinematic experience from the 1920s through the 1960s.

During tough times, like the Great Depression of the 1930s, the musical stage became a haven. Musical theater was the most commercial form of entertainment; it couldn’t escape reality, but it did provide an evening of entertainment.

It used song lyrics or dance routines to speak to the public’s massive hardships, making it a beloved staple of American culture. 

Later on, classics like Grease (1978) and the original West Side Story dominated. But if we try to replicate the same elements today, the vibe changes completely. Honestly, spontaneous dance battles on a street corner or in a high school cafeteria can feel kind of cringe now. Modern tastes have shifted toward grittier, more realistic storytelling, leaving the classical musical style behind. 

Death of the triple threat

One of the biggest reasons for the musical’s decline is a major shift in Hollywood talent. Back then, musical icons like Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, and Fred Astaire were trained stage performers who could act, sing, and dance. Today, the separation between Broadway stars and movie stars is massive. When La La Land (2016) became a hit in the box office and homes, director Damien Chazelle admitted that Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were cast because of their romantic chemistry rather than their ability to sing or dance. 

Furthermore, we are facing a lack of original content. Writing a good movie script is difficult, but writing a great musical requires a solid narrative, about ten good songs, and at least one hit that people automatically link to the musical (think: “Defying Gravity” from Wicked). 

Finding that level of dual creative writing is rare; studios have fallen into a loop of relying on existing films or media. Everything is a remake, sequel, or reboot. Spielberg’s 2021 West Side Story was one of the last major, critically acclaimed live-action musicals, but even that was a reimagining. No one is making entirely original musicals because studios want to be absolutely certain they will make money. 

all about the box office

In the early days of cinema, movie companies treated films as artistic risks. Studios were often willing to lose money on a project just to push the boundaries of what movies could do. Today, however, Hollywood is purely about profit. 

Musicals are notoriously among the most expensive genres to produce, requiring massive budgets for elaborate set pieces, enormous wardrobes, and dozens of expert background dancers. In the 1970s, a string of massive musical financial flops pivoted studios away from the genre and pivot towards the modern blockbuster like Jaws (1975) or Star Wars (1977). Today, that cash-cow market is dominated by action, fantasy, and superhero franchises, leaving musicals sidelined as too high-risk. 

In fact, studios are so afraid audiences will reject the genre that they often don’t even promote them as musicals. Mean Girls (2024) specifically was marketed as a comedy rather than a musical on purpose, fearing the genre name “musical” would turn off audiences. 

theater vs. screen

The truth might be that musicals were never meant to be contained by a camera lens. There is a certain element to have musicals performed in theater rather than replicated on screen. When you walk into a live theater, the butterflies and collective anticipation in the crowd multiply the excitement. 

On screen, you know everything has been filmed, edited, and played over thousands of times. In a live musical, you connect with the actors in real-time, feeling their raw emotions and unfiltered voices. Being in a crowd that shares your love of musicals also creates an immaculate atmosphere.

bring dance back

While the traditional Hollywood musical might be suffocating under box-office demands and superhero dominance, there’s still hope. Millennials and Gen Z grew up on Disney’s musical magic, proving there’s still a deep-seated love for the genre. 

We don’t need hidden genre blockbusters. We need studios to take a risk on a new generation of creatives who are ready to bring original music, triple-threat talent, and unapologetic dance movies back to the screen. Until then, I will be rewatching High School Musical and waiting for the cinematic renaissance. 

• culture
• entertainment
• genz
• hollywood
• movies
• music
• musicals