@M.LeMarchand said:

So why the embarrassment over musical films? I mean, the biggest movie of 2023 had a full on musical song and dance number: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDCnJHyMuyU

My guess, Mr. LeMarchand, is that the studios still consider Musicals to be something of a liability, despite the recent success of Barbie. Until last year, the heyday of the Musical seemed to have died out sometime after the 1960s, not counting the occasional success here and there. I am one (I think among many) that is highly resistant to paying money to sit in a cinema and watch people sing for two hours (I'd much prefer an actual in-person concert for that, regardless of the higher price for tickets to events of that type).

Now, I did actually see Barbie in the theater and I liked it; but I'm still thinking it might just be the exception that proves the rule, and perhaps the studios are thinking along the same lines. Anyway, for what it's worth, that's my take on it.

@northcoast said:

My guess, Mr. LeMarchand, is that the studios still consider Musicals to be something of a liability, despite the recent success of Barbie. Until last year, the heyday of the Musical seemed to have died out sometime after the 1960s, not counting the occasional success here and there. I am one (I think among many) that is highly resistant to paying money to sit in a cinema and watch people sing for two hours (I'd much prefer an actual in-person concert for that, regardless of the higher price for tickets to events of that type).

Now, I did actually see Barbie in the theater and I liked it; but I'm still thinking it might just be the exception that proves the rule, and perhaps the studios are thinking along the same lines. Anyway, for what it's worth, that's my take on it.

Fair enough but one wonders why studios bother if they're so unsure of the profitability of the format. Even the "Wicked" trailer is curiously coy about it being a musical. It's possible for musicals to hit big: "Les Mis", "Greatest Showman" and (though I hated it) "La La Land". Semi-musicals can become hits, like the "Pitch Perfect" series, "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" and the newest "A Star is Born". Jukebox musicals seem to be able to make bank too: "Sunshine on Leith" and the Mamma Mia" movies. A more sure-fire way seems to be to get Dexter Fletcher to direct/take over a biopic of a major star: "Rocketman"/"Bohemian Rhapsody". When they release a western they don't try to hide that, and they're surely less popular.

I do enjoy live concerts, but they're way too expensive to go to regularly. A fairly small artist (Professor Elemental) is playing in the city where I work and it would cost £50 for my wife and I to go, including transport. He puts on a fun show, but not that fun to spend that on a "school night". The last "proper" gig I saw (Abney Park) the transport cost way more than the ticket but these days most "known" artists seem to start at £50 and, with transport and accommodation as it's never near us, we're talking £££s. That said, we are seeing Mono Inc in Leipzig, but this is a combined holiday (my wife has a friend there) and gig!