After losing director Stephen Daldry last fall, Universal Pictures is back in business with a new director for their long-awaited Wicked adaptation, Jon M. Chu.
Daldry had insisted on shooting Wicked in London, with the lack of stage space available and Universal’s insistence on moving quicker than he was comfortable with cited as the reasons for him backing out, according to Deadline.
Chu’s schedule freed up last month as well, when he backed out of directing Disney Plus’ Willow pilot.
Wicked director: After losing director Stephen Daldry last fall, Universal Pictures is back in business with a new director for their long-awaited Wicked adaptation, Jon M. Chu
Stage: Daldry had insisted on shooting Wicked in London, with the lack of stage space available and Universal’s insistence on moving quicker than he was comfortable with cited as the reasons for him backing out, according to Deadline
The 41-year-old director is expecting a baby with his wife Kristen Hodge this summer, and Disney kept pushing production due to COVID-19 issues.
The timing worked out perfectly for Chu and Universal, who he previously worked with on the 2015 adaptation Jem and the Holograms.
There is no word on when production may begin, though it seems timing worked out for the best for both the studio and director.
Expecting: The 41-year-old director is expecting a baby with his wife Kristen Hodge this summer, and Disney kept pushing production due to COVID-19 issues
Universal has been involved in this project before the stage production even came together.
The play is based off the 1995 book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, who had released the film rights to Universal after the novel’s publication.
Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz convinced the author to release the stage rights and film producer Marc Platt to produce the stage play.
Play: The play is based off the 1995 book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, who had released the film rights to Universal after the novel’s publication
The musical, which is told from the perspectives of the various witches in the Land of Oz, debuted on Broadway in October 2003, the start of an incredible 17-year run that is still going, though currently halted due to COVID-19.
Wicked won three Tony’s, including one for Idina Menzel for her portrayal of Elphaba, a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the West.
The musical is currently the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history, becoming just the third Broadway production to surpass $1 billion, alongside The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King.
Broadway run: The musical, which is told from the perspectives of the various witches in the Land of Oz, debuted on Broadway in October 2003, the start of an incredible 17-year run that is still going, though currently halted due to COVID-19
Hit show: The musical is currently the fifth longest-running show in Broadway history, becoming just the third Broadway production to surpass $1 billion, alongside The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King
Winnie Holzman, who wrote the Wicked book on Broadway, is teaming up with Schwartz to write the adapted screenplay, with Platt producing.
Chu most recently directed the Warner Bros. smash hit Crazy Rich Asians, and his new film, an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical In the Heights, debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on June 18.
The filmmaker is also attached to direct two sequels to Crazy Rich Asians, based on Kevin Kwan’s book sequels China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems.
Another musical: Chu most recently directed the Warner Bros. smash hit Crazy Rich Asians, and his new film, an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical In the Heights, debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on June 18
Sequels: The filmmaker is also attached to direct two sequels to Crazy Rich Asians, based on Kevin Kwan’s book sequels China Rich Girlfriend and Rich People Problems