Music has always played a major role in Spike Lee’s filmography. Whether he’s taking a trip back in time, such as in “Malcolm X” and the recent “BlacKkKlansman” or focusing on present-day lives of people in New York City or Chicago, Lee has always brought with him a strong repertoire of musical artists that add another layer to his film work. However, according to a new interview, Lee wants to take the music to the next level in an upcoming film, as he wants to dip his toes in the realm of musicals.
Speaking to CinemaBlend, Lee talked about the idea of doing a musical. And while you may not think of Lee as the type of guy that would necessarily be the first choice to helm a song and dance feature, he’d beg to differ.
READ MORE: Spike Lee To Direct The Adaptation Of One-Man Show ‘Frederick Douglass Now’
“Oh yeah. I’m going to do a musical one day, for sure. I mean, there are many musical elements in my films already, but this one I want to do straight out singing and dancing, beginning-to-end high-stepping, wailing musical,” says Lee.
Of course, there are no details about when this musical might be coming or what the subject matter might include. However, with the success of recent musicals, including Damien Chazelle’s Oscar-winning “La La Land,” the landscape is ripe for another imaginative song and dance film from a talented director.
Also, who wouldn’t want to see what Spike Lee has to say in a musical? Especially given his proclivity for changing tones in films. The subject matter could be as serious or as light as he wants. Granted, odds are Lee would attempt to tackle some heavy subject matter.
So, with Wes Anderson diving headfirst into the musical genre next year, and Chazelle having huge success in recent years, why not give Spike Lee the chance to bring something new to the genre? No doubt, whatever he has cooking would be interesting to see.
