A film version of the Tony Award-nominated 1982 sung-through musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” is in development for Amazon Studios. The movie will include the Tony-nominated score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics). Daniel Goldfarb will pen the script.
Jon M. Chu, who is currently directing the “Wicked” film and also helmed the screen version of “In the Heights,” will be at the helm of “Joseph.”
“Directing a ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ movie has always held the most prominent place on my bucket list,” Chu said in a statement. “As a child, I was captivated by the musical and have since lost count of how many times I’ve listened to its various cast albums. However, what resonates with me most is the feeling that it was personally written for the inner dreamer in me — the youngest of five siblings who often felt overlooked but knew deep down that there was a place for me somewhere. It’s a big, bold event-sized musical that has everything: humor, heart, dangerously infectious music and a world of biblical proportions. The opportunity to work with the legendary Lord Lloyd Webber and Sir Tim Rice to reimagine ‘Joseph’ in a fresh and exciting way for a new generation is beyond even my own dreams. Go Go Go Joe!!”
“Joseph,” which follows a biblical story underscored by a variety of musical styles, first opened on Broadway on Jan. 27, 1982 and ran for 747 performances. The musical was last mounted on Broadway in 1993.
Scott Sanders and Mara Jacobs will produce the film for Sanders’ production company SGS Pictures, with Benjamin Lowy, Rice and Lloyd Webber as executive producers. Chu and Lance Johnson will also be on the producing team for Chu’s Electric Somewhere banner, with Jane Lee overseeing for the company.
