Jukebox musicals are all the rage on Broadway. Now, director Malcolm D. Lee is bringing one to the big screen, and he’s showcasing the classic songs of Boyz II Men.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaker is in talks to direct Brotherly, a musical about a group of men who “will return to West Philadelphia for a high school reunion 20 years after having gone their separate ways — eventually finding hope, redemption and a new understanding of the enduring power of friendship.”
We don’t know how Boyz II Men’s music will be used, but we assume there will be a sad moment at the reunion where the characters remember the good old days while singing “It’s so Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday.” Of course that’s just a guess.
The film is being written by Marcus Gardley, who is also penning The Color Purple movie musical and What’s Going On, the Marvin Gaye biopic.
Lee would also produce alongside Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman, as well as John Davis and John Fox who produced Jungle Cruise.
Lee is the director behind the hits Girls Trip, Space Jam: A New Legacy and The Best Man films. A quick look through his IMDB page doesn’t show any traditional musicals on his resume, but we’ll keep an open mind.
And as with all musicals, casting is the most important part, and if years of watching American Idol and The Voice have taught us anything, not everyone can handle those smooth Boyz II Men vocals.
The four time Grammy winners have a popular catalog that’s ripe for a musical, but you don’t usually see jukebox musicals skip the stage and head straight to the big screen. However, Boyz II Men have a ballad heavy song list that may lend itself better to movies.
Here’s the thing, if this movie doesn’t open with a huge show-stopping version of “Motownphilly,” then why even make it.
We also expect a sad break up while someone sings “End of the Road” and obviously a proposal during “On Bended Knee.” We’ll leave “I’ll Make Love to You” to your imagination.
So are you interested in seeing a Boyz II Men musical? What songs absolutely have to be featured?