Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's infectious musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will soon make an appearance on the silver screen. And this time, no Osmonds are involved. No, Elton John's Rocket Pictures has acquired the film rights and will produce an animated feature of the same name.
Based on the "coat of many colors" from the biblical book of Genesis, the musical was the first of the Webber-Rice canon to be performed publicly.
Ever since, the show has garnered so much attention that it's been seen by an estimated 26 million people and has yielded more than $600 million at the box office.
The musical premiered in 1982 at the Royale Theatre and landed multiple Tony Awards and Drama Desk nominations, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. Now, after 30 years and a very successful U.K. touring circuit, Joseph is getting all drawn up.
Elton John--in association with DreamWorks and Webber's The Really Useful Group--will focus the film as a family-oriented musical project spanning multiple platforms.
"I have always thought Joseph was a strong contender for an animation production, and I'm delighted this is now going to happen," says Tim Rice.
Rocket Pictures' Steve Hamilton Shaw and David Furnish have also signed on to produce.
But if it's still everyone's least threatening Mormon you want, here's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring none other than Country Donny Osmond.
