Universal is on a roll. Just after picking up a pitch with Chris Pratt attached, the studio dropped seven figures on a Josh Gad musical pitch that will feature music from Oscar winner Alan Menken.
News of the project was first reported by Deadline last week, noting that all the major studios were chasing it. Today, the site reported that Universal won out, beating serious bids from Paramount and Disney.
The Hollywood Reporter also reported on the deal.
The project is currently untitled, but it was written by Gad and Jeremy Garelick, who just directed Gad in The Wedding Ringer. Garelick will also direct. The plot centers on Gad joining a family with a busy single mom.
The original songs will be written by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Michael De Luca is producing with the creative team and Universal’s Kristin Lowe will oversee for the studio.
While a Menken/Schwartz musical might seem like perfect material for Disney, Universal is clearly making an effort to have its own batch of musicals. The studio scored success with Les Miserables and Pitch Perfect.
Gad is currently working on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and stars alongside Billy Crystal in FX’s The Comedians.
This is the second big pitch Universal has picked up this week. Just yesterday, the studio bought The Real McCoy, which will star Pratt.
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