Two of the most highly anticipated upcoming movies conceal the fact that they are musicals in their marketing materials, particularly their trailers, and this is a shocking and confusing decision. It is much more common to see projects really lean into their musical elements, as that is the appeal of the genre. Popular movie musicals like La La Land and The Greatest Showman, for example, showcased their music from the get-go and positioned it as a draw for audiences.
While musicals tend to elicit strong opinions, with moviegoers either loving or hating them, it’s impractical for movies to try to conceal their genre. If there’s a legitimate concern about audience reception to musicals, a more logical approach would be to choose a different genre rather than attempting to mask the inherent nature of the film. Despite a vocal group of people who strongly dislike musicals, there is an entire audience who truly enjoys musicals, and it would make more sense to position the movie for them, rather than trying to entice people who simply don’t enjoy this type of film.
Wonka & Mean Girls’ Trailers Have Been Underplaying Their Musical Genres
The upcoming movies Wonka and Mean Girls have chosen to de-emphasize the fact that they are musicals in their early promotional materials. When the first Wonka trailer was released, it was a surprise that the only musical element featured was a quick snippet of an Oompa-Loompa singing. This decision seemed unprecedented and strange, but then the trailer for the 2024 version of Mean Girls also excluded its songs, despite the remake being confirmed multiple times that it is, indeed, a musical.
Both projects remake classic stories in a new way. Wonka reunites audiences with the eccentric Willy Wonka but in a new, younger phase of his life. Mean Girls revisits the familiar characters of the 2004 comedy of the same name, this time with a musical twist and new faces taking on the roles. Given the popularity of both films’ IPs, there have been many eyes on their trailers and the confusing decisions made by them.
It was interesting to see Wonka hiding Timothée Chalamet’s singing, as it’s expected to be one of the most exciting elements of the film given how much praise the actor has gotten for his voice. The Broadway musical version of Mean Girls has also been celebrated for its iconic music, so it is not like either project has anything to be ashamed of when it comes to its musicality. Which begs the question: why are both movies choosing to keep it under wraps in their trailers?
Why Wonka & Mean Girls Are Disguising That They’re Musicals
There’s no clear answer as to why Wonka and Mean Girls disguised the fact that they’re musicals. One reason, however, could be that it builds suspense, as the musical elements are known about but not shown. This creates buzz, as audiences wait in anticipation to see what all the hype is about. The second Wonka trailer included a tiny bit of Timothée Chalamet singing, indicating that the film is working its way to a big reveal of his abilities.
Another possible reason is that musicals can end up being pretty niche, limiting the projects’ audience. By choosing not to showcase that they’re musicals, the movies can rely on their well-known and nostalgic storylines and characters to bring people to theaters. For example, Mean Girls is still a highly-celebrated phenomenon, and the new film might be trying to capitalize on its similarities to the original, rather than differentiating it with its musical aspects. While this may initially raise box office numbers, it could also be detrimental to the film’s overall success.
Of course, audiences will quickly discover that these movies are musicals after the first wave of viewers see them. People who dislike musicals tend to really dislike them, so it could be frustrating for anyone who goes into the movies thinking they’re something else. This could ultimately lead to reviews and general viewer sentiment being lower than they otherwise would be. It would make the most sense for the trailers to include musical aspects that clearly indicate their genre while keeping bigger moments still under wraps to build anticipation for the releases.
