Walt Disney is producing an original movie musical based on the songs of veteran American singer Lionel Richie, as per reports. Tentatively titled after one of Richie’s songs, All Night Long, the live-action film is being written by Pete Chiarelli, known for Crazy Rich Asians and The Proposal.
The Grammy-winning singer is backing the project with his manager Bruce Eskowitz and Cavalry Media’s Dana Brunetti and Matt Del Piano.
The film is expected to be similar in vein to Mamma Mia!, which used the songs of popular Swedish band ABBA. More details are expected to be announced soon.
Recent musicals such as the Elton John biopic Rocketman and the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody have done well at the box office. Moreover, Mamma Mia!, which was not a biopic but featured popular songs of ABBA, also did incredibly well in worldwide sales.
It’s also worth noting that Steven Spielberg has completed filming a musical titled West Side Story, a remake of the Academy award-winning film from 1961 of the same name.