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What came first, the movie or the musical? Well, today it doesn’t matter because we’re ranking 20 movie musicals from worst to best. Movies and musicals have always gone hand in hand. In fact, musicals are so popular on screen that some TV shows come up with the wildest plot points to squeeze in a musical episode. Luckily, we won’t be talking about any of those today. We’re talking full-blown movie musicals.  From star-studded CG nightmares to animated classics, we’ve selected 20 movie musicals of note - both good and bad.  20. Cats (2019) Sorry, Andrew Lloyd Webber, but it is universally acknowledged that Cats is the worst movie musical of all time.  The 2019 feline-filled film had all the ingredients for success. A classic musical that is beloved by millions. A stellar cast. Cats. Unfortunately, the musical movie just didn’t turn out how anyone imagined, and it was a critical and box office flop.  19. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) Who doesn’t want a joy-filled romp on a Greek island? The 2008 Mamma Mia! musical movie adaptation brought all the sun, laughter and hits to the silver screen so people all around the world can enjoy the ABBA jukebox musical. And they did! So much so, there was a sequel made. With Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Dominic West, and Christine Baranski, it had the blingiest of star castings. Though Mamma Mia! was a massive success, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again didn’t quite fulfil its potential. Rewinding to Donna’s time on the island, the younger cast members made the film lose some of its charm and, dare we say, cheesiness.  18. Matilda The Musical (2022) So it was a book that was adapted into a film which was adapted into a musical which was adapted into a musical movie. So it has to be good! Tim Minchin and Dennis Kelly rocked the world when Matilda The Musical opened at the Cambridge Theatre in 2010. Telling the tale of a special little girl, it was fun, witty, and relatable for a lot of children. So when a musical movie adaptation hit the screens, kids all over the world were obsessed.  And it wasn’t a bad movie. It just lacked a bit of magic. 17. La La Land (2016) In 2016, Damien Chazelle, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul breathed new life into movie musicals… with the help of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. La La Land was a critical and box office hit. It even received 11 Academy Award nominations, winning five. The musical movie was so popular that a stage adaptation is currently in the works. And though it was beloved when it first came out, its adoration seems to have dipped over the past decade.  16. Into The Woods (2014) Stephen Sondheim’s fairytale mash-up has earned its legacy in musical theatre history. Into The Woods features characters from tales you know and love including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and more, to highlight the darker side of these children’s stories. Starring Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, and Emily Blunt, it was bound to be a box office hit, though it received mixed reviews from critics. Prior to the film’s release, it hadn’t been on the West End stage since 1990. But if you’re quick, you can see it at the Noel Coward Theatre. 15. Oliver! (1968) There’s nothing more nostalgic than watching Oliver! on the TV while picking out the toffee coins from a tin of Roses. The classic movie musical made Oliver feel like part of the family every time it was shown at Christmas. And even though the musical movie is almost 60 years old, it’s still a fan favourite. 14. The Greatest Showman (2017) Singing and tap dancing Hugh Jackman is the best kind of Hugh Jackman, and that’s exactly what we got in The Greatest Showman. Telling the story of circus owner and showman, P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is a period drama that gives us a peek behind the curtain while dazzling us with all the glitz the Big Top has to offer. Alongside Hugh Jackman was Zendaya and Zac Efron, plus musical theatre legend, Keala Settle. With those stars and a score from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, it was a surefire hit. 13. Moulin Rouge! (2001) Baz Luhrmann’s glamorous jukebox movie musical made waves in cinema. Set in the famed Parisian cabaret, it made a whole generous of uni students try absinthe for the first time (it was not a good time, let me tell you). And when the viewers weren’t chasing the green fairy, they were nursing their broken hearts after witnessing a truly tragic love story. Moulin Rouge! saw Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor belt out banger after banger, all while pursuing forbidden love. It was loud, it was sexy, and it was emotional. And it’s made an amazing stage musical, too. See the sights of Paris at the Piccadilly Theatre.  12. The Colour Purple (2023) Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize novel, The Colour Purple, is an essential piece of literature. It tells the harrowing story of a young black woman living in Georgia in the early 1900s.  The musical adaptation premiered on Broadway in 2005, where it was nominated for 11 Tony Awards. It was revived in 2015 and took home the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical Award. The success of the stage show led to a musical movie adaptation, which was a critical success. 11. The Lion King (1994) The Lion King is the pride and joy of Disney. Not only was the original animated musical movie a global success, but the resulting stage musical at the Lyceum Theatre is still a favourite today. Both were so successful that Disney made a photorealistic remake starring Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Beyonce. It shattered box office records and earned a whopping $1.657 billion globally. 10. Cabaret (1972) Though the film came out over 50 years ago, Cabaret still feels as relevant as ever. The Kander and Ebb musical movie about an underground club in 1930s Berlin sees a group of misfits and artists who refuse to be anything but themselves - despite the danger. The 1972 movie musical was such a big success, it was selected by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Film Registry due to its significance.

30 years since Jonathan Larson's landmark production crashed loudly onto the Broadway stage, transforming musical theatre and challenging traditional stories of friendship and love, London's West End prepares to welcome the return of Larson's acclaimed RENT at the Duke of Yorks Theatre, London, next month.  Inspired by Giamoco Puccini's original 19th century opera,La Boheme, which tracks a wiry group of impoverished artists (or bohemians) in 1840s Paris, RENT (created by Jonathan Larson) casts the same human story of struggle and friendship against the vibrant yet seedy metropolis of 80s New York. Through a tender exploration of the more sinister bruises at the heart of the Big Apple, RENT became a cultural and commercial phenomenon, transpiring to be one of the longest-running shows on Broadway. Read on for a refresher course of RENT's endearing rogues.

The new RENT West End production arrives in London this autumn. If you're looking for RENT West End tickets, you can check performance dates and availability before getting to know the cast below. The RENT West End cast brings together established musical theatre performers, rising stars and screen talent for Jonathan Larson's 30th anniversary production. Led by Gaten Matarazzo as Mark Cohen, the cast includes Travis Ross as Roger, Alexa Lopez as Mimi, Billy Nevers as Collins, Lazy Violet as Maureen, Danielle Fiamanya as Joanne, Jeevan Braich as Angel and Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Benny. Find out more about the Rent London Cast Here's everything you need to know about the RENT London cast, including the actors playing the show's central characters and some of their best-known previous theatre and screen credits. Gaten Matarazzo as Mark Cohen Gaten Matarazzo takes on the role of Mark Cohen in RENT, making his West End debut in the production. Matarazzo is best known internationally for playing Dustin Henderson in Netflix's Stranger Things, but his career began on stage. He made his Broadway debut as Benji in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at just nine years old before appearing in productions including Godspell and the 2014 Broadway revival of Les Misérables, in which he played Gavroche. He also performed the role during the show's 25th Anniversary North American tour. His musical theatre credits have continued to include Dear Evan Hansen, Sweeney Todd and Parade, making his casting as Mark a return to the stage as well as his first West End production. Away from theatre, Matarazzo has continued to work across film and television, including the Disney+ animated series LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy and its sequel, as well as the film Pizza Movie, on which he also served as an executive producer. Travis Ross as Roger Davis Travis Ross plays Roger Davis, the musician and songwriter at the centre of RENT's group of friends. A British actor working across stage, television and audio, Ross has built an eclectic theatre career. His credits include Rebecca Frecknall's acclaimed production of Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre, where he played Bobby and understudied the Emcee, as well as West Side Story, 42 Balloons and Cake. His screen work includes a role in ITV's long-running detective drama Vera, while he will also appear alongside Hugh Laurie, Thandiwe Newton and Gina McKee in Apple TV+'s upcoming series The Wanted Man. Ross now joins the RENT London cast as Roger for the musical's 30th anniversary revival. Alexa Lopez as Mimi Marquez The role of Mimi Marquez will now be played by Alexa Lopez, as Bella Brown has withdrawn from the production due to a vocal injury. A proud Cuban-American from South Florida, Alexa Lopez is a multi-genre vocalist and performer making her West End debut in RENT. Most recently, she appeared as Christine Daee in the acclaimed immersive Off-Broadway production Masquerade, based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera. Her other credits include Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, where she made her Broadway debut, the North American National Tour of Les Misérables as Cosette, and the world premiere of Falcon Girls at Yale Repertory Theater, where she originated the role of April. Additional credits include Lizzie as Lizzie Borden, Ride the Cyclone as Jane Doe, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 as Sonya, and West Side Story as Maria. Lopez joins the RENT cast as Mimi Marquez, one of the musical's central characters.

UPDATE: The role of Mimi will now be played by Alexa Lopez as Bella Brown has withdrawn from the production due to a vocal injury. Further casting has been announced for the upcoming West End revival of Jonathan Larson's RENT, with the remaining principal cast now revealed ahead of the musical's return this autumn. Previously announced as Mark Cohen, Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo will make his West End debut in the production. He is now joined by Travis Ross as Roger, Bella Brown as Mimi, Billy Nevers as Collins, Lazy Violet as Maureen, Danielle Fiamanya as Joanne, Jeevan Braich as Angel and Joaquin Pedro Valdes as Benny. Further casting is expected to be announced in due course

Johnathan Larson’s rock musical RENT returns to the West End, starring Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things) as Mark. Inspired by Puccini’s La Bohème, the story follows a group of young struggling artists living in New York’s East Village during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. This complete song guide of RENT the musical has you covered, with the story being told through song there are some spoilers ahead so proceed with caution Bohemians…  Tune Up #1 An introduction to the characters of RENT and their daily struggles of trying to make it as an artist living in New York. Mark, a film maker with no script or inspiration shoots from his camera aimlessly. Roger tuning his guitar that he hasn’t played in a year, now trying to write one great song.  RENT The characters Mark and Roger have been living in squalor, with no heating, no stable income and no inspiration. But, their old friend Benny allowed them to live in his building for free, but now wants them to pay last year’s rent to continue stay living there. One Song Glory The gut wrenching rock ballad sung by Roger, telling his story about his battle with HIV which he contracted from his last girlfriend, who upon hearing the news committed suicide. Roger hopes to write one last song to be remembered by, before he dies.  Light My Candle We’re introduced to Mimi, Roger and Mark’s neighbour looking for warmth and some light after Benny cuts off the building’s power in protest. Mimi flirts with Roger who is hesitant to return any affection due to his diagnosis. Today 4 U After being missing for a few days, Collins finally reaches Mark and Roger’s apartment with his new friend and lover, Angel, who saved him after being jumped in the streets. Angel in full drag and a festive outfit, shares the money she earned in a rather unconventional way. Tango: Maureen A highly comical dance number in RENT the Musical. Mark catches news his ex-girlfriend Maureen needs assistance at the protest she has arranged against Benny’s plan to evict the homeless. Mark meets Maureen’s new lover, Joanne. The two find an unexpected rhythm together, bonding over Maureen’s bad habits of gaslighting and cheating.  Out Tonight Mimi’s catchy rock solo, she attempts again to seduce Roger, tempting him to come out and party with her. The song shows her wild side, which Roger disdains recognising the pattern of addiction he once fell into, which leads into the next track… Another Day Roger reacts abrasively to Mimi’s suggestion to go out, frustrated by her distraction from his song and his inner battle whether to tell Mimi of his diagnosis and his addict past. Singing back to Roger, Mimi encourages him to seize the day with Johnathan Larson’s famous lyrics ‘no day but today.’ Santa Fe Sick of New York, Collins and Angel dream of opening a restaurant in Santa Fe; a simpler easygoing life, away from the draining nature of the all-work, no-play and low pay city. Can we come too? Over The Moon The infamous Maureen is finally introduced to the story, performing her performance-art protest song against Benny’s wishes to evict homeless people from the building he owns. The song based on ‘Hey Diddle Diddle’ pokes fun at Benny, criticising capitalism, gentrification of New York and corporate greed.  La Vie Boheme Benny confronts his old friends after the protest, claiming he’s trying to make a better community and home for them. The song title translates to ‘The Bohemian Life,’ which references a lifestyle rejecting societal norms and conventions with the priority to live freely and creatively. The self proclaimed bohemians toast to their lives that they are perfectly happy with, throwing Benny’s offer of a ‘better life’ back in his face.  I Should Tell You A duet with Mimi and Roger finally facing the conversation they had both been facing, with their battle with addiction and their HIV diagnoses. From this honest conversation, they realise they can be together without risking the others' health.  

The West End is sparkling this year with a line-up of world-class talent from stage, film, television and music. From gripping dramas to dazzling musicals and exciting new productions, London theatre-goers are in for an unforgettable year. Here's our guide to the biggest stars lighting up London's stages. Vanessa Williams – The Devil Wears Prada Stage and screen icon Vanessa Williams continues to lead the cast of The Devil Wears Prada as the formidable Miranda Priestly. Bringing glamour, comedic one-liners and undeniable star power to the hit musical, Williams remains with the production until 19 September 2026. Sam Ryder – Jesus Christ Superstar Eurovision favourite Sam Ryder has made his highly anticipated stage debut as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium before leading the production into its West End transfer at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane this autumn. His powerhouse vocals have already earned rave reviews in Tim Sheader's acclaimed revival. Read our review to find out why this production is one of the theatrical highlights of the year. A Star-Studded Line-up of King Herods – Jesus Christ Superstar Jesus Christ Superstar is also welcoming an extraordinary line-up of guest stars in the role of King Herod across both its London Palladium season and subsequent Theatre Royal Drury Lane run.  At the London Palladium, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Richard Armitage, Boy George, Layton Williams and Julian Clary each take on the role for limited engagements throughout the summer. Following the transfer to Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the celebrity casting continues with Matt Bomer, Rob Brydon, Reece Shearsmith, Bob the Drag Queen, Michael Ball, Simon Russell Beale, Omid Djalili and Layton Williams, with one final guest star still to be announced. Find the full King Herod performance dates for both the London Palladium and Theatre Royal Drury Lane in our handy guides linked above. Adrian Lester and Susannah Fielding – Cyrano de Bergerac Olivier Award winner Adrian Lester stars alongside acclaimed stage and screen actor Susannah Fielding in Cyrano, bringing fresh life to Edmond Rostand's timeless story of love, poetry and identity. Playing in the West End for a strictly limited season until 5 September 2026, you'll only have the summer to catch this standout production. Trust us, it’s brilliant!  Rachel Adedeji – Hadestown Former The X Factor contestant Rachel Adedeji stars in Hadestown, the critically acclaimed musical that reimagines ancient Greek myths through a soulful, modern score. Her powerful vocals make her a standout addition to one of the West End's most celebrated productions. Alexandra Burke – I'm Every Woman Singer and West End favourite Alexandra Burke stars in I'm Every Woman, the new musical celebrating the life and music of Chaka Khan. Playing for a limited season from 22 July to 27 September 2026, it's one of this summer's biggest musical events. Gaten Matarazzo – RENT Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo makes his West End debut this autumn in RENT. Best known as Dustin Henderson in the hit Netflix series, Matarazzo brings his acclaimed Broadway experience to Jonathan Larson's iconic rock musical.

You wanna go out tonight? After what feels like 525,600 years, RENT is coming back to the West End. From September 2026 to February 2027, the Tony Award-winning show will be playing the Duke of Yorks Theatre, with Gaten Matarazzo playing Mark. If this is your first opportunity to see the era-defying musical, you are in for a treat! Jonathan Larson’s landmark rock musical is one of the most iconic and important theatre shows of all time. Inspired by Puccini’s La Boheme, it depicts the lives of a group of young, struggling artists in New York as they try to make ends meet while facing the realities of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Beautiful, tragic, emotional, and funny, it’s an absolute must-see for theatre lovers. If we’re preaching to the choir and you want to find shows similar to RENT because you just love it that much, then step this way. Here are some shows like RENT that will help you bridge the gap between now and September.

Gaten Matarazzo will make his West End debut in the new revival of Rent. The Stranger Things star will play Mark Cohen with initial casting, dates and venue announced today. Matarazzo will take on the role of Mark Cohen, the aspiring filmmaker and narrator at the heart of the musical, who documents the lives of his friends in New York City’s East Village as they navigate love, creativity, poverty and the AIDS crisis in the early 1990s. The new production of Rent will open at the Duke of York's Theatre from 26 September 2026 as the musical celebrates its 30th anniversary.

For any musicals fan, it’s highly likely that you’re a fan of the iconic musical Rent and so naturally a revival has been desperately awaited! After 525,600 minutes and then some, the news broke yesterday that a brand-new production from the Hope Mill Theatre will take place this summer for a strictly limited one-month run! Rent will be directed by Luke Sheppard who directed Spring Awakening at the Manchester theatre back in 2018. Sheppard’s most recent credits feature & Juliet which premiered at Manchester’s Opera House before transferring to the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre. The combination of beloved hit musical Rent and the wonderful direction of Luke Sheppard has certainly spiked the excitement for this new production! Here’s hoping that the musical follows suit of many that begin in Manchester and then transfer to London for a West End production. With summer and the Hope Mill Theatre production feeling far away, we won’t wait with bated breath just yet for a West End transfer, but we will be dreaming. Read below to see why we want Rent in London…

   Bruce Guthrie’s production of Jonathan Larson's heart rending multiple award winning rock musical RENT is set to run at The Other Palace (formerly the St. James Theatre) over Christmas, 8 December 2016 - 28 January 2017. After its limited run in London the show will continue to tour through the UK until closing in Kent at the end of May 2017.