Disney and musicals, could there be a more natural match? How about if you throw in Hugh Jackman (Wolverine in the Xmen films), does it seem less natural to you? The Mouse House, which for years was know for its on screen family fare musicals (Summer Magic, Mary Poppins) and has recently been doing pretty well for itself on Broadway, has signaled a return to the movie musical with its recent signing of Jackman to a multi-picture deal.
Hugh Jackman has been featured on stage as Curly in Oklahoma, as Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, and in his Tony-Award-winning role as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz. So he has the chops and the star power to carry a musical. The only question left is do the successes of Miramax’s Chicago and Moulin Rouge indicate a desire for future musicals, or remakes of old musicals, from Disney.
(more deets at Jackman’s Landing, a Jackman fan site, including this Variety article.)