A “Trading Places” Musical is in the Works for Broadway More Than 40 Years After the Film's Premiere
A “Trading Places” Musical is in the Works for Broadway More Than 40 Years After the Film's Premiere
Staff AuthorTue, April 28, 2026 at 8:59 PM UTC
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Trading PlacesCredit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock -
Trading Places, the hit 1983 film starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Lee Curtis, is heading to Broadway
A musical version of the film will reimagine the story for live theater audiences, per Deadline
The film followed two men from vastly different worlds: a wealthy commodities broker and a down-on-his-luck street hustler who become the unwitting subjects of a bet to see how they fare when their circumstances are swapped
A beloved comedy classic is heading for the Broadway stage.
Trading Places, the hit 1983 film starring Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Lee Curtis, is being developed into a new stage musical, according to Deadline. The project will reimagine the story for live theater audiences, with a creative team that blends comedy, music and Broadway experience.
Deadline reports that the musical will feature a script by Thomas Lennon, known for Reno 911!, and a score by songwriting duo Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, whose previous work includes First Date. Direction will come from Tony Award winner Kenny Leon.
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Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy Trading Places - 1983Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
Leading the cast are Bryce Pinkham as Louis Winthorpe III — the role originally played by Aykroyd, 73 — and Ephraim Sykes as Billy Ray Valentine, the part made famous by Murphy, 63.
The musical adaptation builds on the story of the original film, which was directed by John Landis and followed two men from vastly different worlds: a wealthy commodities broker and a down-on-his-luck street hustler who become the unwitting subjects of a bet to see how they fare when their circumstances are swapped.
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According to Deadline, the musical already had an earlier life onstage, premiering in 2022 at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.
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The film version of Trading Places featured a topless scene for Curtis, who told PEOPLE (The TV Show!)'s Adrianna Costa in 2022 that she would not do that again.
"I was 21 years old and the part required Ophelia to take off her dress," she said at the time. "Did I like doing it? No. Did I feel embarrassed that I was doing it? Yes. Did I look okay? Yeah. Did I know what I was doing? Yeah. Did I like it? No. Was I doing it because it was the job? Yes."
"I wouldn't do it today, it's the last thing in the world I would do now," Curtis continued. "I also am married for 37 years, I wasn't married then. I'm a mother of children. Absolutely not."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
