Emma Thompson is turning 'Nanny McPhee' into a West End musical

Emma Thompson is bringing Nanny McPhee back in a new form, with the Oscar-winning actor and writer adapting the beloved children's story into a stage musical set to open in London's West End next summer.

The musical, which Thompson has written with music by Gary Clark, is based on the character she created for the 2005 film Nanny McPhee. The movie starred Thompson as the magical governess who arrives to care for the seven unruly Brown children and uses a mixture of discipline and enchantment to transform their lives.

Thompson is also behind the screenplay for the original film, which was inspired by Christianna Brand's Nurse Matilda books. Nanny McPhee became a family favourite following its release and was followed by Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang in 2010.

The new stage production will mark the first time Thompson's version of the character has been adapted as a musical. While the story remains rooted in the magical nanny's arrival at the Brown household, the theatrical version will feature new songs and a larger stage spectacle designed for a live audience.

The musical is scheduled to begin performances in London's West End in summer 2027. Further details about the theatre, cast and exact opening date are expected to be announced later.

Thompson's return to the world of Nanny McPhee comes nearly two decades after she first appeared as the title character. The original film also featured Colin Firth, Angela Lansbury and Thompson's late mother, actress Phyllida Law, who appeared alongside her daughter in the movie.

Law died at the age of 94 earlier this month. Thompson and her mother had worked together on several projects, making their shared appearance in Nanny McPhee one of the more personal chapters in Thompson's connection to the franchise.

The upcoming musical gives Thompson an opportunity to revisit one of her best-known creations while introducing Nanny McPhee to a new generation of audiences. With its combination of family comedy, fantasy and music, the West End production is poised to bring the magical governess to the stage in an entirely new way.