Ryan Murphy to make Netflix film of queer musical The Prom

Ryan Murphy has revealed that he’s making a film adaptation of queer musical The Prom for Netflix.

The out creator of record-breaking trans-themed show Pose, Glee and American Horror Story made the announcement on Tuesday (April 9) at New York’s Longacre Theatre, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The musical is about a lesbian teenager in Indiana whose high school prom is cancelled after she asks a girl to the event.

The Prom has been on Broadway for six months. (Jenny Anderson/Getty)

Murphy’s film is due to air on Netflix in September 2020, making it the first to be released through his groundbreaking deal with the platform.

He said this scheduled release date, just weeks before the next US presidential election, was no coincidence, adding: “I’m really tired of hearing about bad news and [Donald] Trump.

“I want to see entertainment that is optimistic and uplifting.”

Ryan Murphy uses The Prom to fulfil a pro-LGBT+ pledge

Murphy’s adaptation of The Prom means he is following through on a promise he made last year to “champion LGBTQ heroes and heroines” in his Netflix projects.

He explained on Instagram that he chose the musical, which has been on Broadway since October, because he saw it as “one of the most uplifting, heartfelt and special musicals I have ever seen on Broadway.

“It’s truly an original that celebrates the underdog and says in a loving spectacular way that LGBTQ rights are human rights.”

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THE PROM is one of the most uplifting, heartfelt and special musicals I have ever seen on Broadway. It's truly an original that celebrates the underdog and says in a loving spectacular way that LGBTQ rights are human rights. I feel a special connection to it because it's set in Indiana, and that's where I grew up, too. I'm thrilled to announce I'm turning it into a MOVIE EVENT for Netflix, and I'm bringing producers @billdamaschke and @dori.berinstein and the amazing creative team with me — Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw, Tony Award winner Bob Martin, Tony award nominee @sklarbar73 and Tony Award nominee @Chadbeg. See it first at the Longacre Theatre. It has a musical score that will leave you singing for days, a hilarious and moving book and some of the most showstopping direction, choreography and performances I've ever seen on Broadway. @theprommusical

A post shared by Ryan Murphy (@mrrpmurphy) on Apr 9, 2019 at 5:32pm PDT

Speaking at the Longacre Theatre before a performance of The Prom, he said he “was absolutely blown away” when he first saw the show in December.