Adaptations
In late 2005, Dean Gray released a mash-up version of the album—called American Edit—and became a cause célèbre when the artist was served with a cease and desist order by Green Day's record label. Tracks include "American Edit, "Dr. Who on Holiday", "Novocaine Rhapsody", and "Boulevard of Broken Songs." Billie Joe Armstrong later stated that he heard one of the songs on the radio and "enjoyed it."
The American Idiot stage musical adaptation premiered at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009. It was initially intended to run through October 11, but before the premiere, the theatre announced a three week extension. The musical is a collaboration between Green Day and director Michael Mayer. Green Day does not appear in the production, but the show features an onstage band. According to Susan Medak, managing director of the Berkeley Repertory, the theater was part of the producing team and had been looking for work that crosses generational lines.
The production transferred to Broadway at the St. James Theatre, began previews on March 24, 2010 and officially opened on April 20, 2010. The show received mixed to positive reviews from critics, but got an all-important rave review from The New York Times. American Idiot won two 2010 Tony Awards: Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Christine Jones, and Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Kevin Adams. It also received a nomination for Best Musical.
Replacement performers included Van Hughes as Johnny, American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini as Will, David Larsen as Tunny, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong as St Jimmy, Rebecca Naomi Jones as Whatsername, Jeanna de Waal as Heather, and Libby Winters as Extraordinary Girl. The show features all of the songs from the album American Idiot, including b-sides, and songs from Green Day's follow-up album, 21st Century Breakdown.
On September 26, it was announced that Green Day lead vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong would be appearing in the Broadway production for a limited time (September 27 – October 3, 2010) as St. Jimmy while Tony Vincent attends to a family matter. Armstrong returned to the production in 2011 for a 50 performance run from January 1 through February 27. In addition, singer Melissa Etheridge assumed the role of St. Jimmy the first week of February 2011. After Etheridge left, the role of St. Jimmy was rotated through several cast members, before Billie Joe Armstrong retook the role on April 5, 2011, for the final weeks of the show. The Broadway production closed on April 24, 2011, after 27 previews and 421 regular performances. The first national tour started in late 2011.
Shortly after the album was released, there was speculation that American Idiot might be made into a film. VH1 quoted Armstrong as saying "We've definitely been talking about someone writing a script for it, and there's been a few different names that have been thrown at us. It sounds really exciting, but for right now it's just talk." Armstrong later stated that filming would begin for American Idiot: The Motion Picture in 2006, stressing, "We want to see how it turns out first so that it doesn't suck." On June 1, 2006, Armstrong announced in an interview with MTV.com that "it's definitely unfolding" and that "every single week there's more ideas about doing a film for American Idiot, and it's definitely going to happen", but the band later said, "It is gonna take a little while." In the summer of 2010, talk about creating a film adaption was brought up again, after actor Tom Hanks was interested in producing it. In an interview with Virgin Radio, when asked if the film was "true, a lie, or a mystery?" Tré Cool responded by saying that it was "a true mystery".
On April 13, 2011, the film American Idiot was confirmed. Michael Mayer, director of the Broadway musical, will be the director of the film. The film will be written by Dustin Lance Black and produced by Green Day, Pat Magnarella (Green Day's manager and producer of Bullet in a Bible and Awesome as Fuck), Playtone (Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman) and Tom Hulce.
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