Deadline is reporting that Universal Pictures has acquired an untitled comedy musical to be directed by Jeremy Garelick (The Wedding Ringer), starring Josh Gad and featuring music by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. The movie is said to follow a “domestic who integrates into family with a busy single mother, and becomes an important part of the clan”. Garelick is also writing the screenplay based on a story by himself and Gad. Michael De Luca (The Social Network, Captain Phillips, Moneyball, Fifty Shades of Grey) will serve as the producer on the project alongside Garelick, Gad, Menken & Schwartz. The composers have previously collaborated on Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted. Menken’s other credits include The Little Mermaid, The Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Tangled and Enchanted. Schwartz has also written songs for such features as The Prince of Egypt and Pocahontas.
As previously reported, Menken also has Disney’s live action adaptation of The Beauty and the Beast and the animated feature Sausage Party coming up.
Looks like Menken is trying real hard to make a return. But he is really going after some awkward concepts. Sausage Party in particular is quite a title to spot on a resume that’s otherwise filled with films about singing princesses.
so? he has to make disney ballads for the rest of his life? lol