With the recent release of Wicked: For Good, movie musicals seem to be a new and on-the-rise genre. In reality, movie musicals have been releasing and thriving since the early 1920s, despite often being an overlooked film genre.
Rather than signaling a “new” or “fresh” concept, the Wicked franchise reminds us how powerful musical storytelling can be. It offers the perfect moment to revisit what makes movie musicals so distinctive on the big screen.
Movie musicals occupy a distinct artistic space where music, storytelling, and visual design come together to create a heightened emotional experience. Although rooted in theatrical traditions, both film adaptations and original musical films introduce new cinematic possibilities.
We explore creative potential and limitations by studying the ways contemporary works like West Side Story (2021), Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021), Les Misérables (2012), and Hairspray (2007) employ the conventions of a movie musical.
At the heart of movie musicals lies the integration of song, story, and emotion. Rather than pausing a narrative for musical numbers, the strongest musicals incorporate songs to advance character arcs or highlight internal conflicts.Â
For example, in Tick, Tick… Boom!, Jonathan Larson’s ballad “Why” captures an emotional turning point, blending narrative information with raw vulnerability. Similarly, West Side Story includes “A Boy Like That” not just as a performance, but as a tense exchange that deepens the conflict between Maria and Anita.
Ultimately, movie musicals illustrate how songs can condense complex feelings into just a few minutes, something dialogue alone often cannot achieve.
Musical films also rely on songs that establish time periods and cultural context. Because music carries historical and social meaning, these songs often ground the movies in specific moments.Â
Take, for instance, Hairspray, which utilizes 1960s-style rhythms and lyrics to underscore the civil rights tensions at the time. This is most notably seen within the song “I Know Where I’ve Been,” a powerful anthem of resilience. Additionally, Les MisĂ©rables‘ “Do You Hear the People Sing?” captures the revolutionary spirit of 19th-century France, turning the song into a cultural rallying cry within the story.Â
These musical choices connect audiences to broader social realities, making the films feel historically rooted while still emotionally expressive.
Another staple of the genre is its Broadway-style dance numbers, which allow movement to carry narrative weight. Film adaptations expand these possibilities, using larger sets, dynamic camerawork, and ensemble choreography.Â
West Side Story’s “America” bursts with cultural tension and excitement through movement, while Hairspray’s “You Can’t Stop the Beat” uses dance as a symbol of collective joy and societal change. These sequences show how musicals use physicality to express ideas that might otherwise remain abstract.
Through studying these films, it becomes clear what makes the movie-musical genre so compelling. Its ability to merge spectacle with emotional depth creates an immersive experience that can feel both escapist and meaningful.Â
Music bypasses rational defenses and speaks directly to emotion, which is why musicals often stay with audiences long after the credits roll. The genre also allows for bold and creative experimentation, blending reality and fantasy in ways that live theater cannot always achieve.
However, this same stylization can become a limitation. Some viewers struggle with the suspension of disbelief required when characters suddenly shift from speaking to singing. Others find the heightened emotions overly sentimental or unrealistic.
While film offers expansive visual freedom, adapting the intimacy of live performance to a larger cinematic space can sometimes dilute the immediacy that makes stage musicals so powerful.
But, at the end of the day, movie musicals show us why they stick with us: they’re emotional, creative, and truly memorable.
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