Fellow Wicked fans, our time has come. Deadline reported exclusive news today that Jon M. Chu has been tapped to direct Universal‘s Wicked adaptation! Chu recently adapted Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s In The Heights for Warner Bros and now wants to add one of Broadway‘s biggest hits to his resume.
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Wicked, the three-time Tony Award-winning stage musical, is in its seventeenth year on Broadway and a cultural phenomenon. It was adapted from Gregory Maguire‘s bestselling novel of the same name by writer Winnie Holzman and composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The story follows Elphaba, known to most of the world as the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorthy arrives in Oz. It touches on friendship, identity and standing up for one’s beliefs. It begs the question, is someone born wicked, or is wickedness thrust upon them?
Schwartz will also be collaborating on the screenplay adaption. Marc Platt will produce with his company Marc Platt Productions. Chu recently stepped away from Disney‘s series Willow due to Covid-19 delays. The timing just happened to be a perfect match for Universal’s search for a director. A film adaption of Wicked has been in the works for years and has already multiple release dates pushed back. Hopefully, with Chu on the project, we will finally get a chance to see some headway and casting news!
Currently, Wicked is set to release on December 22, 2021. Check back with us for more news. Let us know on social media and in the comments below who you think should be cast in Elphaba and Glinda’s roles!
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