Going all the way back to the 1950s, some of Stephen Sondheim’s first jobs were writing lyrics alongside already iconic composers. In 1961, West Side Story was brought to the screen with music by Leonard Bernstein and in 1962, Gypsy followed suit with music by Jule Stine. Both are available to stream on HBO Max.

In 1966, a film version of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, with music and lyrics both by Stephen Sondheim, premiered starring Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, and Michael Crawford. The movie is available to stream on Pluto TV and Tubi. You can also rent the film on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.

Of course, we can’t forget the 2007 Tim Burton-directed Sweeney Todd (available to stream on Hulu, Paramount Plus, and Amazon Prime) starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. This bloodthirsty musical adapted Stephen's penchant for unorthodox musicality and clever lyricism into a modern-day Burton-esque steampunk film.

Finally, Into the Woods, the Rob Marshall-directed adaptation of one of Stephen Sondheim’s most commercial successes, brought musical theater to the mainstream in 2014. While not considered the best adaptation by many musical theater aficionados, it’s still worth watching for Meryl Streep’s version of The Witch. Stream on Disney Plus.