The King and I is getting a makeover on Paramount. It has been announced that the classic ’50s musical will be adapted as a movie once more, to give it a more modern outlook. The King and I was previously made into a feature film in the 1950s, a television series in the 1970s, and an animated film in the 1990s.
Originally based on the semi-biographical novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon, the story was adapted into a stage musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It revolves around Anna Leonowens, who traveled to Thailand (then Siam) to teach English to the children of King Mongkut.
According to Deadline, the new adaptation will have the classic story “with a contemporary perspective that explores diversity and the contrasting world views of the characters by drawing from real history and the musical.”
The King and I comes with a lot of history—both the musical and the feature film are recipients of multiple awards. The musical won a coveted Tony, and the feature film starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner was nominated for nine Academy Awards, of which it won five, including Best Actor for Yul Brynner for his role as the King of Siam. Naturally, a lot of expectations are riding on the remake.
The cast and crew of the project have not been announced yet. No official premiere date for the movie has been announced either.
What do you think? Would you like to see a remake of The King and I?
About The King and I
The King and I is an upcoming movie on Paramount+, based on the 50s musical of the same name.
The story follows Anna Leonowens, a widowed mother of two, who travels to Thailand to teach English to the children of the King Mongkut of Siam.
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