Before Disney’s live-action film “Maleficent”
flipped the perspective of a classic fantasy story by making Sleeping Beauty’s
antagonist fairy the titular Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) the main character,
the most famous production using the reverse POV would have to be “Wicked,” the
hit musical where the Wicked Witch of the West in the Land of Oz was the hero.
Having powerful songs like “Defying Gravity” (especially sung by Idina Menzel
for instance) helped make it perhaps even more memorable than the original 1995
novel by Gregory Maguire. Almost two decades since its theatrical debut, “Wicked”
is getting a cinematic adaptation. With the departure of a director comes a
more fit replacement.
Variety tells us that John M. Chu has been tapped by Universal
Pictures to take the helm for their blockbuster movie take on top Broadway
musical “Wicked.” This particular project has been in the works for more than 10
years now, and in October last year the previous attached filmmaker, Stephen
Daldry, stepped down from the job due to conflicts in schedule. Among Daldry’s
directorial efforts are 2000 British film “Billy Elliot” and more recently,
several episodes in the first two seasons of Netflix drama “The Crown.” Chu in
turn is a big name for upcoming projects since the success of “Crazy Rich
Asians” (2018).
Upon hearing of his being given
directing duties for Universal’s “Wicked,” Chu got on social media to share the
news and his excitement. He also admits to being a fan of the source musical,
having actually attended its 2003 performances in San Francisco during the
production’s workshop tryout. As he writes on Twitter, the idea that he is now
being given the reins to interpret the stage musical as a musical film is, says
he, “Like I’ve been invited to Oz by the Wizard himself.”
“Wicked” tells the story of the
rise of Elphaba, from her start as a university student, her unlikely friendship
with academic rival Galinda/Glinda, her dream of working for the Wizard of Oz
being shattered by her disillusionment at rising social issues at Oz, to
becoming the Wicked Witch rebelling against the Wizard’s authority until
Dorothy arrives and unwittingly defeats her. At present, Universal has not yet
made any casting for characters in the movie, which will bring in the musical’s
original composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book writer Winnie Holzman, as
part of the production crew.
Chu is also director for the
Warner Bros. musical film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pre-Hamilton
musical “In the Heights,” premiering in June. He is also being considered for
another Warner project, a biopic of Filipino singer Arnel Pineda and his amazing
journey to becoming vocalist of the rock band Journey.
Image from NBC News
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