The Book Of Mormon Movie: Story & Everything We Know About The Broadway Musical Adaptation
A The Book of Mormon movie adaptation would probably have a lot of people jumping up in their seats and praising Joseph Smith, but a feature-length adaptation of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Broadway comedy may be more of a pipe dream than anything. Parker and Stone, the hilarious and irreverent creators behind South Park, Team America: World Police, and BASEketball, decided to try their hand at live theater in 2011 with a comedy musical based on one of their favorite topics: Mormonism, and what a success it turned out to be.
Anyone who has seen South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut before The Book of Mormon would have known how exceptionally talented the pair are at directing a musical, but it was never a guarantee that it would translate to Broadway. 14 years later, The Book of Mormon is the 11th longest-running Broadway show in league with famed plays like Rent and Mamma Mia!. It's grossed over $1 billion worldwide and won nine Tony Awards. It's a musical that seems perfect for a movie adaptation, but sadly, the creators don't seem to have much interest.
The Book Of Mormon Movie Is Not Confirmed
There Has Been No News About A Film Adaptation
Unfortunately, a movie adaptation of The Book of Mormon has not been confirmed at this time. While IMDB appears to have a page dedicated to an adaptation, there is no official word from anyone about a movie even being considered. People who want to see The Book of Mormon will just have to settle with the Broadway version.
The Book Of Mormon Cast
Josh Gad Has Expressed Interest In Returning For A Movie
While there is no cast for a The Book of Mormon movie, Josh Gad, who played Elder Cunningham in the original run, has mentioned he'd happily be a part of a movie adaptation (via Playbill),
"I would actually love to [be involved]. I would read the phonebook if Trey [Parker] and Matt [Stone] asked me to do the film. I feel an enormous sense of graciousness that they came to me with that project and allowed me to make my mark as Elder Cunningham, and I would jump at the opportunity to do the film. I fear that I may be a little old, but hopefully I can be involved in some capacity."
As with any Broadway play, the cast of The Book of Mormon has changed frequently over the years, so it's hard to guess who would be a part of a movie adaptation. The original cast is arguably the most famous, but actors like Andrew Rannells, Nikki M. James, and Rory O'Malley have likely aged out of their roles. Stone and Parker's best bet for a movie would be to bring in a new, fresh cast and perhaps use the older actors in cameos à laWicked.
Possible The Book of Mormon Cast & Characters | |
|---|---|
Actor | Role |
Josh Gad | Elder Cunningham |
The Book Of Mormon Story
Two Young Missionaries Try To Convert An African Village
The Book of Mormon movie plot would likely follow the plot of the play, maybe with a new song or two written specifically for the film. The play follows two young missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as Mormons. Elder Kevin Price and Elder Arnold Cunningham are two young missionaries who are sent on a conversion mission to Uganda. Though earnest and happy to talk about their cause, the locals have more pressing issues, including famine, HIV-AIDS, oppression by a warlord, and other facts of life the young men aren't ready to deal with.
The 2003 Book Of Mormon Movie Explained
The Adventure Drama Has Nothing To Do With The Play
If you search Book of Mormon movie on Google, a movie does turn up. The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey is a 2003 adventure drama by director Gary Rogers and is a film adaptation of the first two books of the Book of Mormon. It only had a limited theatrical release, and the few reviews it does have describe it as more of a sermon than an actual movie.
Why A Live-Action South Park Movie Would Never Work
The R-rated animated comedy South Park may well be getting another movie, but the series can't translate to live-action for numerous reasons.
Its heart may be in a good place, but its adherence to the exact story of an admittedly dry tome is not the best for a film. Completely unrelated to The Book of Mormon the play, fans will have to keep holding out hope for the real adaptation.
