Before it became a Broadway smash hit, “The Book of Mormon” could have gone animated.
Josh Gad, who originated the role of Elder Arnold Cunningham in the 2011 production, said during Sony Music Entertainment’s “Dinner’s On Me” podcast that co-writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone originally set out to make “Book of Mormon” in the vein of beloved animated satirical film “Team America: World Police.”
However, after the live reading of the script, it became clear that “Book of Mormon” was best suited to Broadway.
“Trey and Matt thought that they were going to do it as an animated film. It was going to be their follow up to ‘Team America.’ And we ended it,” Gad said to host Jesse Tyler Ferguson. “The response was effusive. I’ll be it, people were definitely taken aback and shocked. And they had a huddle and they decided in that moment, let’s try this as a live theatrical thing.”
Gad added that it was a “three-year runway” before the show opened on Broadway.
“When I first got involved, I got a phone call from Bobby Lopez who was coming off the hit show ‘Avenue Q’ and he says, ‘I’m working on this new musical with the creators of “South Park.”‘ And I’m like great, sign me up!” Gad recalled.
Yet Gad didn’t know exactly what he was getting into. He ended up later turning down playing Cam in “Modern Family” opposite Ferguson because he was “so committed” to “Book of Mormon.” Eric Stonestreet instead was cast as Cam.
“My wife still to this day, bashes me,” Gad said of missing out on the Emmy-winning sitcom.
Later, Gad admitted that his own failed sitcom “1600 Penn” was an attempt to get out of his “Book of Mormon” contract.
“God help us all. We all make mistakes sometimes,” Gad said, adding without further explanation, “I was looking for a way out of my ‘Book of Mormon’ contract.”
Gad exited “Book of Mormon” in 2012 after the production won awarded nine Tony Awards. “1600 Penn” aired for one season from 2012 to 2013.
And while “Book of Mormon” didn’t debut as an animated feature, a musical film adaptation has been long-rumored to be in the works.
Back in 2020, Gad said during PeopleTV’s “Couch Surfing” that a potential film would have to adjust the script, though.
“I think you have to adjust with the times,” Gad said. “I don’t know that that show could open today and have the same open-armed response that it did then. It’s not to say that it’s any less significant or wonderful or incredible a musical; I just think it’s the nature of art to adapt. I would certainly hope that with a future adaptation there would be that growth. Because I think it’s a cool opportunity for growth.”
He added as to whether Parker and Stone would adapt the show, “I think [creators] Trey [Parker] and Matt [Stone] march to the beat of their own drum.”
Parker and Stone recently appeared in the documentary”¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!” about their resurrection of the “Disneyland of Mexican restaurants.”