The Hit Musical Come From Away Being Adapted Into a Film
There are currently efforts to make a film out of the hit musical Come From Away. The film is aiming to be filmed as soon as possible. The work will be shot in the Canadian town that the action occurs. However, people should not expect to find any big-name Hollywood stars in this film, as the people behind the musical want to focus on the unique story and its message.
What the Film Will Entail
The Come From Away film was announced in 2017 by the Mark Gordon Company. The film was announced as an adaptation of the hit musical. It is unclear as to whether this movie will also be a musical.
Irene Sankoff and David Hein will both write the film's script. Sankoff and Hein both wrote the music, lyrics, and book to the original musical. The two were highly meticulous in researching information on the story involved and ensuring everything was portrayed well.
Christopher Ashley will direct the film. This would be his theatrical directorial debut, although he has years of experience in stage direction. He won a Tony Award in 2017 for directing the Broadway adaptation of the original musical. He also directed such musicals as Escape to Margaritaville, Memphis, Xanadu, and the Rocky Horror Show.
Filming on the movie will start in 2020. The release date for the film is unclear, although there have been rumors that it may be released as close to September 11, 2021, as possible.
No Big Stars
Irene Sankoff stated in an interview with the Daily Beast that there would be no big-name stars in the film. She wants to focus on regular people and to avoid using anyone familiar out of fear that it would take the audience out of the story and the moment.
Some of the people in the film are expected to be from current or former Come From Away casts. These include people from the Broadway, Toronto, West End, and Australia shows.
On Location
The film will also be shot on location in Gander, Newfoundland, the Canadian town where the story takes place. The goal will be to get enough commercial airplanes in the town and to focus on the people who lived the story.
About the Musical
The Come From Away film will be about the same topic as that of the musical. The film is about the true story of how dozens of commercial travel planes landed in Gander, Newfoundland, on the morning of September 11, 2001. The event occurred due to air travel having been suspended in the United States, thus requiring Gander to take in flights that would have landed in that country. The musical focuses on the relationships that people developed, their experiences during the time, and how the lives of the people changed.
Come From Away premiered on Broadway in 2017, although it had residencies in Washington and Toronto before then. The musical received seven Tony nominations, and it has also produced a touring production.