Pop Musical VERONA'S ROMEO & JULIET, Starring Ledisi and Rebel Wilson, Coming in 2025

Deadline has reported that the previously announced pop musical Verona's Romeo & Juliet will be distributed by Briarcliff Entertainment on Valentine's Day 2025.

The new movie musical will be the first in a trilogy of pop musical movies that tell the real 1301 story that inspired William Shakespeare's classic play. The film is led by Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward as Juliet and Romeo, respectively. 

Additionally, the cast features a star-studded ensemble that includes Rebel Wilson, Ledisi, Dan Fogler, Rupert Everett, Derek Jacobi, Jason Isaacs, Jamie Ward, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Rupert Graves, and Grammy Award-winner Tayla Parx.

"We've set out to tell the greatest love story of all time, set to the musical pulse of our time. But Shakespeare only told part of that remarkable tale whose events changed the course of history," director Timothy Scott Bogart said in a previous statement to Deadline.

Grammy-winner Evan Bogart, who is known for working with Beyoncé on "Halo" and Rihanna on "SOS," is scoring and producing the musical for the new film. Dante Ferretti is the production designer.

Rebel Wilson is best known for her work in film, including starring roles in "Pitch Perfect", "Isn't It Romantic", and MGM's "The Hustle," a remake of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Her theater roles include Miss Adelaide in Guys & Dolls on the West End. She also appeared as Jennyanydots in the upcoming Tom Hooper adaptation of "Cats".

Ledisi starred in Encores! City Center's production of The Life, directed and adapted by Billy Porter. She was also seen in the Actor's Fund's 2004 Hair benefit concert and can be heard on Morgan James' all-female recording of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Dan Fogler won a Tony Award in 2005 for originating the role of William Barfée in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He was recently seen in Fantastic Beasts movies, The Walking Dead, The Offer, and Spinning Gold, also directed by Bogart.

Photo credit: Bruce Glikas