Disney's star-studded film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods may not be exactly how fans remember it. But that's to be expected when a show gets adapted for the big screen.
According to Playbill, Sondheim recently told a group of high school drama teachers about the changes he and Tony Award-winning book writer James Lapine when the studio voiced concerns about the appropriateness of some of the play's material.
Among the concerns addressed by Disney is Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) and the Wolf's (Johnny Depp) dynamic. The two characters will no longer be entangled in a predatory relationship. The Wolf's song, "Hello, Little Girl," will be decidedly less sexual.
But a reduction in licentiousness isn't the only thing that will be different.
Rapunzel's (Mackenzie Mauzy) ill-fated misstep will be avoided and she'll survive the Giant's foot in the film, and Cinderella's Prince (Chris Pine) and the Baker's Wife (Emily Blunt) won't know each other as intimately as they do in the musical.
When asked if the song "Any Moment," which follows the encounter between Cinderella's Prince and the Baker's Wife, had been cut. Sondheim stated: "The song is cut," quickly amending after a teacher outcry: "I'm sorry, I should say, it's probably cut." Two new songs will be featured in the film, including "Rainbows" and a number written for Meryl Streep's character, the Witch, which will address Rapunzel's survival.
Let's fear not until anything hits the big screen. Sometimes changes are good but a new number could be disastrous.
