SNL superstar bringing Eurovision to Broadway

The musical will be adapted from the 2020 Netflix movie ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’

Will Ferrell is set to adapt his own 2020 Netflix comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga into a new Broadway musical.

The former Saturday Night Live star appeared alongside Rachel McAdams in the movie as an aspiring Icelandic singing duo chosen to represent their country in the popular real-life pan-European music competition.

In a statement, Ferrell said: “We are more than excited to bring Eurovision to Broadway. The stage musical is a perfect place to continue our celebration of all the things we love about this amazing and unifying song competition.”

The new musical version will feature book written by Ferrell, Harper Steele and Anthony King, music by Savan Kotecha and will be directed by Alex Timbers.

Timbers added in a further statement: “Will Ferrell and Harper Steele are my comedy heroes, and when I first saw their joyful movie Eurovision during the pandemic, it buoyed spirits during a very dark time.

Will Ferrell in a scene from ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’ (Netflix)

“With this stage adaptation, I can’t wait to bring that same mix of heart, spectacle, irreverence, and awe to audiences across the world.”

Like the film, the stage musical is being produced in collaboration with the official Eurovision Song Contest organization. The competition’s director, Martin Green CBE, said: “This is a stellar team for what I am sure will be an equally stellar adaption of a film the world loved. Our aim always is to bring the joy of the Eurovision Song Contest to more people globally – especially as we approach our 70th edition in 2026.”

In a three-star review of the film, The Independent critic Clarisse Loughrey called the movie “exactly as silly and outlandish as it needs to be, while still paying sincere respect to one of Europe’s great cultural quirks. There are a few pops at Americans, too, to keep things humble.”

She added: “While Ferrell and Steele’s script doesn’t always provide the best material, the film works because its cast is so invested in the absurdity of it all. Ferrell thrives once more in the role of sweet naïf (à la Buddy in Elf), while McAdams rolls out her best Bjork impression – it’s refreshing to see a film where a female lead gets to be just as weird as her male co-star. Dan Stevens, meanwhile, revels in his role as Russian contestant Alexander Lemtov, a man who sings from his crotch and wears gold-embroidered waistcoats with nothing underneath.”