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- On April 18, 2025
There has been a boom in the movie musical in the West End over the past year. With Clueless the Musical opening just last month, it seems like this popular trend in West End musical theatre isn’t going anywhere. Musicals that have been adapted from movies can be a great way to get interested in theatre. With so many great adaptations of classic movies opening left right and centre, it’s hard to know which one to pick. Fear not, here at Leicester Square Box Office, we’ve compiled a list of the hottest musicals created from your favourite blockbuster films.
The Devil Wears Prada
The Dominion Theatre
Based on the smash hit 2006 film starring Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) and Meryll Streep (Mamma Mia), this musical is headlined by Hollywood award winner and grammy nominated Vanessa Williams. With new music written by Elton John, this musical follows the story of an aspiring new journalist at her first job in the cut-throat fashion industry. This star studded adaptation strutted down the runway into The Dominion Theatre in October 2025 and has recently announced its extension into 2026.
The Devil Wears Prada is playing at The Dominion Theatre until 3rd January 2026.
Mean Girls
The Savoy Theatre
Tina Fey cult classic has turned into a pop culture classic. Some call it modern day Shakespeare with its iconic phrases such as “You can’t sit with us!” and people celebrating “October 3rd”. The film starred Hollywood megastars including Lindsey Lohan, Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables). This movie musical follows home-schooled Cady who transfers to an American high school as she tries to understand this strange new land. She finds herself making friends and enemies along the way and in fact, becomes involved in a scheme to bring down “The Plastics”.
Mean Girls is playing at The Savoy Theatre and must end 7th June 2025.
The Lion King
The Lyceum Theatre
An animated movie that many of us grew up with, The Lion King. The Lion King itself is actually based on the play Hamlet but told with cute cuddly lions. The musical uses stunning puppetry to create the lions and other wild animals. The show is in its 25th year in the West End. This animated movie musical already had a score written by Elton John so it is full of familiar songs from the original Disney film.
The Lion King is now booking until 26th October 2025 at The Lyceum Theatre.
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Shaftsbury Theatre
Starring comic legend Robin Williams, Mrs. Doubtfires comedy chops have made it to the West End. With brand new music written for this adaption, the musical version of Mrs. Doubtfire is all singing and all dancing. Going through a divorce, out of work actor Daniel creates the perfect disguise to spend more time with his children: a Scottish Nanny. Throughout the story we see Daniel’s growth and development as a person but moreso, as a father.
Mrs. Doubtfire is leaving The Shaftsbury Theatre on 26th April 2025 so book this movie musical now!
Moulin Rouge!
The Piccadilly Theatre
Baz Luhrmann’s romantic film starred Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor (My Master Builder). Aspiring writer Christian falls in love with the diamond of the Moulin Rouge, Satine. Their love is forbidden and the couple try anything to stay close to each other, primarily writing a new show for the Moulin Rouge. The original movie musical featured hit pop songs of the time. Some of these iconic numbers have remained but the west end version has also added some more recent pop hits.
Playing at The Piccadilly Theatre, The Moulin Rouge is now booking until 25th October 2025.
Back to the Future
The Adelphi Theatre
This 1985 classic sci-fi movie adaptation takes you back in time. When Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955 in an eccentric Scientists Delorean. The only road home to get back to the future is by making sure his parents met and fall in love. This musical won the 2022 Olivier Award for best new musical and features songs from the iconic film plus new hits written especially for this time travelling production.
You can head Back To The Future until 3rd January 2026 at The Adelphi Theatre.
Clueless The Musical
The Trafalgar Theatre
Off to the 90s now, Clueless was a hit rom-com starring Paul Rudd (Friends). The movie was based on Jane Austen’s Emma and has been a hit since it opened at The Trafalgar Theatre. KT Tunsell has written original songs for this new movie musical and is an ode to 90s music genres. The musical follows Cher who wants to be perfect in every way. Cher thinks she knows all the answers including matters of the heart. She wants to prove she is a good person but ends up meddling with people’s lives in the process.
Clueless The Musical is booking until 14th June 2025 At The Trafalgar Theatre.
Burlesque The Musical
The Savoy Theatre
Pop sensation Christina Aguilera blew us all away with her powerful vocals when this film hit our scenes in 2021. She performed alongside Kirsen Bell (Frozen) and Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada). The story is of a girl from a small town with a big dream. After failing her audition in a burlesque club, she works there as a bartender. She manages to get a job performing there, not just dancing but singing too, changing her life and the burlesque scene forever.
Burlesque The Musical is booking from 10th July 2025 – 6th September 2025 at The Savoy Theatre.
That brings us to the end of the movie musicals currently playing in London’s West End.
Of course, there are other shows currently on that have been so successful in theatres that producers have not been able to resist adapting them to screen! Take the Box Office smash Wicked for example which has been playing in the West End for 19 years and was turned into a movie just last year.
