Is 1977’s Annie Musical The Most Successful Comics Adaptation?



Green Lantern at the multiplex and some pre-CCI panel arrangements have me wondering: could the Broadway musical Annie be the most successful adaptation of a comic? I know it's hard to argue with that fat $1 billion-plus from Dark Knight (not to mention that culturally-piercing, award-winning Heath Ledger performance), but Annie has a well-rounded resume:

* 2000+ performances in its original run (blockbuster status)
* 11 Tony nominations and seven wins, including the big three of book, score and musical
* multiple road companies initially and countless performances nationally and internationally since
* big-time remounts on Broadway and in the West End
* forthcoming 35th anniversary remount
* a movie adaptation of its adaptation (Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks)
* a second movie adaptation of its adaptation (Victor Garber as Daddy Warbucks)
* a third movie adaptation of its adaptation in the works (Will Smith as executive producer)
* two shots at a sequel (neither of which was apparently any good, but they don't try twice unless you're a juggernaut)
* two enduring pop songs, "Tomorrow" and "(It's A) Hard-Knock Life"

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