Hear me out: I know Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't planning on bringing Warriors to Broadway, but I think it would make a great musical film

As for me, The Warriors is one of the best movies of the 70sand remains a timeless cult classic shows the streets of New York City better than any other movie. So imagine how happy I was when I heard that Lin-Manuel Mirandathe man who changed the world Tony-winning phenomenon Hamiltonco-created a concept soundtrack album with Eisa Davis based on the gritty crime drama. And you can imagine how disappointed I was when I read that the Tony Award winner doesn’t plan to come back Warriors to Broadway right now.

Since I started listening to the album, which features appearances from Phillipa Soo, Nas (who produced), Ms. Lauryn Hill, Colman Domingo, Ghostface Killah and more, I thought this would not only make a great stage production, but it would also make a fantastic musical film. Let me explain…

Lin-Manuel Miranda in the land of the dead in His Dark Materials — (Image credit: HBO)

I completely understand why Lin-Manuel turned Miranda Warriors into a concept album instead of a Broadway musical

When speaking with Poster Prior to the album’s release, Lin-Manuel Miranda explained that one of the biggest challenges in creating a musical that contains a lot of action in addition to the songs was the fact that those elements occupy the same narrative space on stage, something that is not is the case. such a big problem with an album:

And yet the fact that we made it as an album freed us from that, because we thought, ‘Okay, if we didn’t have to worry about organizing this, how would we score it?’ And we kind of ended up in an all-on-the-wall strategy. Some of the fight sequences are musical montages, some are scored in Union Square, we bring around samples from earlier in the film.

And it makes perfect sense, especially with a story this complex Warriors with all its wild musical numbers, huge cast and reinterpretations of one of the best action movies of all times. However, I’d still like to see this go from a concept album to a list of unusual music films on the road.

The Warriors, ready for battle

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

There has been talk of a Warriors remake for a long time, and I think this musical approach is a great way to do it

The Warriors is one of the great action movies that never got a sequelbut there have been all kinds of remake-related conversations over the years. (Including one that was in the work of Tony Scott a few years before the Top pistol death of the director in 2012.) However, at the time of writing, the only official continuation of the property was the 2005 video game, The Warriorsfrom Rockstar Games, the same studio behind the Major theft car franchise. By the way, that game is great and one of the best of its kind.

After listening WarriorsI’m convinced this could be the perfect way for a big screen remake to happen. But instead of being a lifeless remake that massively changes the story, with muted Easter eggs for longtime fans, the concept album keeps the main story largely the same: The Warriors are involved in the murder of Grammacy Riffs leader Cyrus and must find their way. back to Coney Island. It’s just that this time the titular gang is depicted as wearing an all-female outfit.

This new twist on Walter Hill’s beloved adaptation of Sol Yurick’s novel of the same name would be so much fun to experience on the big screen and could breathe new life into the story in the process.

David Patrick Kelly on The Warriors

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

The performances of New York rappers and Broadway stars would be great on screen (and on stage)

One aspect of Warriors What I love most is the excellent cast that combines the best of hip-hop from Broadway and New York City to create a huge and talented ensemble that everyone fits in perfectly. The titular gang, played by the likes of Phillipa Soo, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Amber Gray and Anessa Folds, all shine in their respective roles and add a new dynamic to the story.

The same goes for iconic rappers like Busta Rhymes, Cam’ron, Nas, Chris Rivers, Ghostface Killah and RZA, who serve as the voices of New York’s five boroughs (the members of the Wu-Tang Clan share Staten Island). Even Tasmania-born Tik-Tok-famous metal singer Kim Dracula feels like a natural fit, which speaks to Miranda’s sharp vision. It can be incredible to see all those performances on screen (and on stage) and introduce the story to a whole new generation.

Only time will tell if we will see it Warriors go to the big screen or a Broadway stage, but there are plenty on the Movie schedule 2024 to look forward to while we wait.