Everything you need to know about 'Hercules' so far | London Theatre (2024)

Epic news! The Disney favourite with music by Alan Menken arrives at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2025.

Everything you need to know about 'Hercules' so far | London Theatre (1)

Julia Rank

Holding out for a hero? Good news – Hercules, the greatest of them all, will be ascending Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2025. The 1997 Disney animation is the latest of the entertainment titan’s properties to receive the stage musical treatment, following in the cyclops-sized footsteps of The Lion King, Frozen, Aladdin, and others.

It’s sure to be an epic experience, helmed by Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon), one of Broadway’s most prolific and critically acclaimed directors. Alan Menken and David Zippel have added new numbers to the stage version to supplement the original soundtrack. The show features fantastic roles for both young performers and scene-stealing character actors.

Check back for Hercules tickets on London Theatre.

What is Hercules about?

Hercules is the story of the eponymous legendary Greek hero (actually, it’s Heracles in Greek and Hercules in Latin…). Son of Zeus, king of the gods, Hercules is a (demi) god among mortals who embodies strength, athleticism, and bravery.

His is a real hero’s journey, in which he grapples with his divine and human sides. Being Disney, quite a few liberties from the original classical sources are taken in their rendering of the story! Rather than toiling with the Twelve Labours, Hercules is required to save the soul of his love interest, Meg.

Is Hercules based on the Disney animated film?

Yes, Hercules is based on the much-loved 1997 Disney animation. In the film, Tate Donovan was the speaking voice of Hercules, with Roger Bart as his singing voice. The voice cast also included Danny DeVito, James Woods, and Susan Egan.

The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song (“Go the Distance”). A live action remake with contemporary influences and directed by Guy Ritchie is reportedly in the works.

When can I see Hercules?

Hercules is due to open in summer 2025, with precise dates to be confirmed. Only a year to wait!

Where can I see Hercules?

Hercules will be performed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The venue has a 2,196-seat capacity.

One of the West End’s most historic theatres, Drury Lane has a long track record of presenting groundbreaking musicals, including the original productions of Oklahoma!, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, A Chorus Line, and Miss Saigon. Most recently, it hosted Frozen’s three-year West End run.

Has Hercules been performed on stage before?

Hercules was first performed at Central Park’s Delacorte Theatre in 2019. A revised production was performed at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey, in 2023. The first international production opened in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this year (performed in German).

Who wrote the music for Hercules?

Music for Hercules is written by legendary Disney composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin). Lyrics are by David Zippel (City of Angels, The Woman in White). Menken and Zippel wrote the film soundtrack and have contributed additional songs to the stage musical.

Who are the writers of Hercules?

The stage adaptation of Hercules is written by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Robert Horn. Outgoing Young Vic artistic director Kwei-Armah’s shows include Elmina’s Kitchen, Beneatha’s Place, and One Love: The Bob Marley Musical. Horn won a Tony for Best Book of a Musical for Tootsie and his other work includes Shucked and 13.

Who is the director of Hercules?

Hercules is directed by two-time Tony-winning director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw. You can currently experience Nicholaw’s work with Mean Girls and The Book of Mormon in the West End. He previously directed Aladdin for Disney and other credits include Some Like It Hot, Something Rotten, The Prom, and Spamalot.

Who is in the cast of Hercules?

Casting for Hercules is to be announced.

Who are the characters in Hercules?

Hercules includes the following cast of characters:

  • Hercules: the hero; a naïve youth who has been raised among mortals, yet of divine parentage and gifted with superhuman strength. Does he have what it takes to be a hero?
  • Philoctetes (“Phil”): Hercules’s mentor, a grumpy elderly satyr who has become disillusioned with his job of training heroes.
  • Hades: brother of Zeus and uncle of Hercules. The story’s antagonist.
  • Megara (“Meg”): Hercules’s independently minded love interest and Hades’s former servant. She's no damsel in distress.
  • Zeus: king of the gods and Hercules’s birth father.
  • Hera: queen of the gods and Hercules’s birth mother.
  • The Muses: a blues-y girl band and the narrators of the story.

What are some fun facts about Hercules?

  • In the myth, Hercules is the son of Zeus and Alcmene, a mortal. Zeus’s long-suffering wife Hera is the antagonist rather than Hades. And Megara is the wife killed by Hercules (along with their children) in a bout of madness inflicted by Hera – but that would be a bit bleak for a family show!
  • Screwball comedy was a key influence on the film. Meg’s witty and independent character was based on Barbara Stanwyck in 1941 movie classic The Lady Eve. The role (speaking and singing) was voiced in the animation by Susan Egan, who originated the role of Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.
  • Roger Bart, who was the singing voice for Hercules in the movie, played Phil in the Delacorte Theatre production.
  • The Spice Girls were originally approached to voice the Muses!
  • Greek myths are having a moment in musical theatre. Anais Mitchell’s Hadestown continues to run at the Lyric Theatre and The Lightning Thief, based on the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, about a young New Yorker who learns that he’s the son of sea god Poseidon, plays at The Other Palace from November 2024.

Check back for Hercules tickets on London Theatre.

Originally published on

Everything you need to know about 'Hercules' so far | London Theatre (2024)

FAQs

Is Hercules a West End show? ›

Disney Theatrical Group has confirmed the opening of Disney's new production of Hercules, directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's West End in summer 2025.

What musical is replacing Frozen? ›

Disney musical theatre enthusiasts in London have something exciting to look forward to as the musical adaptation of Disney's 1997 film 'Hercules' is set to premiere at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the summer of 2025.

Is Hercules going to be a musical? ›

The latest Disney musical, inspired by the hit 1997 animated film, has been in the works since 2019, premiering in the U.S. before going to Germany and the U.K. It will go the distance! Disney's Hercules will premiere in the West End in summer 2025 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with exact dates to be announced.

Will Disney's Hercules have West End premiere in summer 2025? ›

Disney Theatrical Group have confirmed that Disney's new production of Hercules, directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, will open at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's West End in summer 2025.

Why did Hercules TV show end? ›

The show was cancelled midway through filming of the sixth season, and only a total of eight episodes were produced after Sorbo initially declined to renew a three-year extension contract to continue his role as Hercules.

Is Hercules a god at the end of the movie? ›

Hades accepts, but only if Hercules can reclaim it in the River Styx, which gradually saps his life force as he swims. However, his will to sacrifice his life for Meg awakens Hercules as a true hero and restores his status as an immortal god.

Will Hercules make it to Broadway? ›

On May 16, 2020, it was reported that Robert Horn will write a new iteration for the musical, with Lear deBessonet returning as director. On August 18, 2020, Menken confirmed that the musical is indeed being adapted to Broadway.

Does Dwayne Johnson play in Hercules? ›

Hercules is a 2014 American action-adventure fantasy film starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular character.

Why did Disney change Heracles to Hercules? ›

To ensure that Greek viewers were aware that Disney's “Hercules” was a loose interpretation of the sacred myth and not a historically accurate endeavor, the film was retitled “Beyond the Myth of Heracles,” returning the hero to his Greek name.

Is Disney redoing Hercules? ›

Sadly, there is no official release date just yet for the live-action remake of Hercules. Towards the end of 2022, director Guy Ritchie admitted that he hoped to make the live-action film 'within the next year' - meaning that it would have arrived by the end of 2023.

What will happen in 2024 Disney? ›

Starting January 9, 2024, guests with Park Hopper benefits or an Annual Pass will be able to visit another theme park at any time during park hours. This is a significant shift from the previous rule that allowed Park Hopper access only after 2 p.m. This change gives guests the freedom to plan their day as they wish.

What is Disney's Hercules last name? ›

Hercules Magusanus (known in Greek as Heracles and formerly as Alcaeus) is the main character of both TV series and movies. He was voiced by Tate Donovan.

Does Hercules count as a musical? ›

“Hercules,” the latest musical from Disney Theatrical Group, has set a summer 2025 premiere at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London's West End. Tony winner Casey Nicholaw will repeat his work as director and co-choreographer from a recently opened Hamburg production.

Is the movie Hercules a musical? ›

Hercules is a 1997 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation for Walt Disney Pictures. It is loosely based on the legendary hero Heracles (known in the film by his Roman name, Hercules), a son of Zeus in Greek mythology.

Is Hercules a Dreamworks? ›

Hercules is a 1997 American animated musical comedy-fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.

Is Disney making a Hercules movie? ›

Sadly, there is no official release date just yet for the live-action remake of Hercules. Towards the end of 2022, director Guy Ritchie admitted that he hoped to make the live-action film 'within the next year' - meaning that it would have arrived by the end of 2023.

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