ABC orders a "musical comedy fairytale" pilot because now it wants Once Upon A Time mixed with Glee

By Kevin McFarland | October 2, 2013 | 7:38pm

Aux Features TV

ABC already has a burgeoning fairy tale franchise, with Once Upon A Time reimagining most of Disney's iconic animated characters on Sundays, and Once Upon A Time In Wonderland set to expand that reach even further. Now the network has commissioned a fairy-tale musical to continue that fantasy genre success while also tapping into Glee’s soundtrack market. Galavant is a musical comedy from Dan Fogelman, who created ABC’s The Neighbors—perhaps the most unheralded turnaround story from last season—and also wrote Crazy Stupid Love. Music and lyrics will come from legendary composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. It won’t be the first time the trio works together, as it previously collaborated on Disney's Tangled, as well as a musical episode of The Neighbors.

Galavant aims to be a more lighthearted affair closer to the Glee side of the musical scale, rather than the melodrama of Smash. Perhaps next the network could look into adding an antihero protagonist and some procedural elements than can be ported to multiple shows in various cities, all leading to the 2016 premiere of Once Upon A Glee In Anarchy: Miami.