From Stage to Screen: Theatre That Made It to The Golden Globes
With Hamnet – a story intimately connected to Shakespeare’s Hamlet – receiving multiple Golden Globe awards this month, it’s clear that the magic of theatre doesn’t just stay on stage. Like The Lion King, which famously reimagines Hamlet for modern audiences, Hamnet shows how stories rooted in theatre continue to evolve across books, stages, and screens. Many popular movies originate from plays and musicals before leaping to the silver screen.
Some even earn international recognition, including Golden Globe (or else) wins and nominations across a wide range of categories, proving that great storytelling knows no boundaries and often begins under the theatre lights!
Here’s a handful of global stage-to-screen successes.
Top Recent and Acclaimed Stage-to-Screen Adaptations
Hamnet (2026): Originally a novel by British author Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet was adapted for the stage in the UK before becoming a major motion picture directed by Chloé Zhao. At the Golden Globes 2026, the film received multiple awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, demonstrating how theatrical storytelling resonates with audiences worldwide.
Wicked: For Good (2025): This highly anticipated film adaptation of the West End and Broadway musical Wicked began reaching cinemas in late 2024. Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film expands the stage production with new material and has received Golden Globe recognition.
The Color Purple (2023): Adapted from the acclaimed stage musical – itself based on Alice Walker’s novel – this later version brought a powerful theatrical story from the stage to global cinema audiences. The Color Purple has, in fact, inspired two major film adaptations: Steven Spielberg’s dramatic 1985 film, for which Whoopi Goldberg won Best Actress in a Drama, and Blitz Bazawule’s 2023 musical film, which comes directly from the Broadway stage musical adaptation of Walker’s original novel.
Matilda the Musical (2022): Roald Dahl’s story, adapted for the stage and then the screen, continues to delight audiences in cinemas and on streaming platforms. The stage production won Olivier and Tony Awards, while the 2022 film adaptation received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021): This joyful West End musical was adapted into a feature film, introducing a contemporary British theatre story to international audiences. While it did not receive Golden Globe recognition, it earned a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film.
Prima Facie (upcoming): The very powerful and acclaimed West End piece by playwright Suzie Miller, originally performed by Jodie Comer, is currently being adapted into a feature film led by Cynthia Erivo.
Classic Adaptations That Made It to The Golden Globes
Les Misérables (2012): Based on the internationally celebrated stage musical (from Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel), the film won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007): Tim Burton’s adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical received multiple Golden Globe nominations and won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Chicago (2002): Adapted from the Kander and Ebb stage musical – itself rooted in a 1926 play -, Chicago won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Amadeus (1984): Peter Shaffer’s acclaimed stage play became a film that swept the Golden Globes, winning Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Actor.
My Fair Lady (1964): Adapted from the stage musical based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, the film won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
West Side Story (1961 & 2021): Both the original film and Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake – adapted from the stage musical inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – received Golden Globe wins and nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
From Shakespeare-inspired narratives like Hamnet to contemporary West End hits, these fantastic adaptations show that theatre remains a powerful starting point for award-winning cinema. Characters, dialogue, and emotional depth forged in live performance continue to shape films that resonate across cultures, generations, and online platforms!
From Stage to Screen – and Back Again
Because in today’s evolving arts landscape, theatre is no longer a one-way street from stage to screen. Blockbuster films and streaming hits greatly also inspire live performance.
At Watford Palace Theatre, Director of Programming Steve Marmion helped develop the stage versions of Fleabag with Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Baby Reindeer with Richard Gadd. Both became global screen phenomena, topping charts on Amazon Prime and Netflix!
A new example of this creative exchange is The K-Pop Party, an upcoming immersive show (April 2026) that brings the global K-pop phenomenon to the stage, blending music, choreography, AI, and fan-driven digital culture into a live, in-person experience. Audiences can now expect and enjoy more and more of these immersive experiences at Watford Palace Theatre!