The dawn of the 21st century saw the return of the cinematic musical, with the once-lagging genre making a triumphant return to form. Fresh out of a Hollywood dryspell, the genre was able to shine once more and found new life upon the 2001 release of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! The film helped to reinvigorate Broadway adaptations and jukebox musicals, a trend that is still utilized today. Musicals like Steven Spielberg's remake of West Side Story and the Lin-Manuel Miranda biographical musical drama Tick Tick Boom prove that the genre is still lucrative and thriving.
With so many mesmerizing and diverse films making their debuts, the 21st century has been brimming with critically and commercially acclaimed musicals. Though it's quite difficult to narrow down the impressive list of entries, these are the best movie musicals of the 21st century, so far.
11 Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Baz Luhrmann’s romantic jukebox musical Moulin Rouge! features an all-star cast and dynamite soundtrack inspired by several greatest hits throughout the years. The film follows star-crossed lovers Satine (Nicole Kidman) and Christian (Ewan McGregor), a cabaret and courtesan and an English Poet who find love against the odds in the Moulin Rouge theater. With cover versions of songs by iconic performers such as Elton John, The Police, David Bowie and Sting, the soundtrack is jam-packed with exciting and larger-than-life renditions.
Moulin Rouge! was a commercial and critical success, grossing $179.2 million on a $50 million budget and was nominated for eight Academy Awards. The film rightfully won two, for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design. The chemistry between Kidman and McGregor was heavily praised, with Newsweek proclaiming, “Both stars hurl themselves into the movie’s reckless spirit, unafraid of looking foolish, adroitly attuned to Luhrmann’s abrupt swings from farce to tragedy. (And both sing well).”
10 Chicago (2002)
Arguably the most glamorous and glitzy musical of the 21st century, Rob Marshall’s black comedy crime film Chicago took Hollywood by storm upon its release. Backed by powerhouse performances from a stacked cast including Renée Zellweger, John C. Reilly, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere, the musical centers on two murderesses awaiting trial in jail during 1920’s Chicago. The leading ladies duke it out for fame and attention that will keep them from seeing the gallows. With flashy and fantasy-inspired numbers including “All That Jazz”, “Cell Block Tango” and “Razzle Dazzle”, Chicago contains stunning songs that truly capture the Jazz Age.
With its release in 2002, Chicago was critically lauded and won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture; it was the first musical to do so since Oliver! in 1968. Zeta-Jones also won for Best Supporting Actress. At the box office, the film earned a massive $306.8 million on a $45 million budget, becoming the highest grossing musical of all time until the release of Mama Mia! in 2008.
9 The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
One of Broadway’s most beloved and revered musicals, Joel Schumacher’s 2004 adaption of the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic featured talented performances by Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson. Despite a mixed reception from critics, audiences thoroughly enjoyed the musical. The Phantom of the Opera follows Christine, a talented singer torn between her love for childhood sweetheart Raoul and her loyalty to her mysterious tutor, the “Phantom.” Rossum’s vocals and performance were praised, and her range was on full display with songs like “Think of Me” and “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.”
8 Dreamgirls (2006)
Depicting the rise to fame of fictional Detroit girl group “The Dreams” in the 1960s and 1970s, Bill Condon’s Dreamgirls has an A-list cast including Beyoncé Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy. Highlighting the American R&B music scene throughout these decades, “The Dreams” must battle inner turmoil as well as their controlling record executive. The phenomenal cast were able to show off their vocal capabilities with powerful numbers like “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, “One Night Only” and “Listen”. Dreamgirls was a commercial and critical success, receiving eight Academy Award nominations, with Jennifer Hudson winning Best Supporting Actress.
7 Hairspray (2007)
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An adaption of the Broadway musical and John Waters’s film of the same name, 2007’s Hairspray tells the story of teenager Tracy Turnblad, as she pursues stardom as a dancer in 1962 Baltimore. With a vibrant and fun cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nikki Blonksy and Zac Efron, the musical was one of the most commercially and critically successful films of the 2000s. With uplifting and toe-tapping songs like “Good Morning Baltimore”, “Ladies’ Choice” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat”, the soundtrack has been certified platinum since its 2007 release, and the film is the tenth highest-grossing musical films in U.S. cinema history.
6 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Everyone’s favorite, wonderfully weird dynamic duo Tim Burton and Johnny Depp succeeded again when they teamed up for 2007’s dark musical slasher Sweeney Todd. The film depicts the tale of the titular character (Depp), an English barber and serial killer who uses a straight razor to murder his victims. Directed by Tim Burton and featuring an exceptional supporting cast like Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen, the gory film is based on the 1979 musical of the same name. With many unique songs such as “No Place Like London”, “Pretty Women” and “Not While I’m Around”, it’s no wonder audiences were hooked. Despite not being musically trained prior to filming, critics were impressed by Depp’s vocals and he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
5 Enchanted (2007)
Beloved Disney musical Enchanted garnered a deep following by fans after it danced its way into theaters in 2007. The plot features a stereotypical Disney princess who is forced to leave her animated realm and enter into the live-action world of New York City. The musical is fun and unique because it both parodies and pays homage to past Disney creations. Amy Adams starred as princess-to-be Giselle, cementing her status as a leading lady, while Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden portray her suitors and Enchanted has many memorable songs like “True Love’s Kiss” and “Happy Working Song.” The film earned a whopping $340 million at the box office,and a much awaited sequel, Disenchanted, will be released in 2022.
4 Mamma Mia! (2008)
Based on the songs of pop group ABBA, Mama Mia! is a jukebox musical comedy headlined by some of Hollywood’s greatest, including Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Bronsan and Amanda Seyfried. The premise follows a bride-to-be who invites three men to her wedding, each possibly being her actual father. The feel-good soundtrack soared to the top of the US Billboard 200, and featured renditions of hit songs like “Honey, Honey” and “Dancing Queen.” Despite mixed reviews from critics, Mama Mia! was a box office smash hit, grossing a whopping $611 million worldwide on a $52 million budget.
3 Les Misérables (2012)
Epic period musical Les Misérables is based on the Broadway show (and classic novel) of the same name, and depicts the story of Jean Valjean as he is hunted for decades by a blood-thirsty Javert. The 2012 film featured a star-studded ensemble cast of big names like Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried. Hathaway’s performance as Fantine and rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” was applauded by viewers and critics, with USA Today declaring, “A dynamite Hathaway shatters every heart when she sings how ‘life has killed the dream I dreamed.’ Her volcanic performance has Oscar written all over it.” Hathaway did indeed win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and a BAFTA for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Les Misérables grossed $441 million worldwide and was a critical triumph, sweeping many Hollywood awards ceremonies.
2 La La Land (2016)
Dynamic Hollywood duo Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone once again joined forces with the 2016 romantic comedy musical La La Land. Telling the love story of a Jazz pianist (Gosling) and aspiring actress (Stone) as they pursue their dreams in Tinsel Town, the film was a massive hit. On a modest budget of $30 million, La La Land grossed $448 million and garnered overwhelming praise. Gosling and Stone’s chemistry was raved about, as well as their vocal performances. Musical numbers like “Another Day in the Sun”, “City of Stars” and “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” were standouts in the film and soundtrack. La La Land won a record-breaking seven Golden Globes at the ceremony and earned a record-tying fourteen nominations at the Oscars. The film won five, including Best Actress for Stone and Best Director for Damien Chazelle, the latter becoming the youngest recipient.
1 The Greatest Showman (2017)
The Greatest Showman is a musical drama that includes an ensemble cast of Hollywood’s elites, with the talent of Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Zac Efron and more. The premise of the film was inspired by P.T. Barnum’s creation of Barnum’s American Museum and the lives of its groundbreaking stars. Jackman portrays Barnum in a powerhouse performance, and the film features many exciting songs such as “The Greatest Show”, “A Million Dreams” and “Rewrite the Stars.” The film’s soundtrack was the best-selling album of 2018 in the United States and broke chart records in the U.K.