Marshall in contention for WICKED film

[othell]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:07pm

According to an article here on BWW, Rob Marshall is on the short-list of possible directors for a future WICKED film (Schwartz, Holzman and Platt are the ones considering him). I can just imagine everyone's thoughts on this, but lets hear them anyway!

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:08pm

Will it all be set in Elphaba's mind?

[ObiHave]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:12pm

It's Galinda's nightmare and she awakens to discover it was just an episode of the Bob Newhart show and the film version of Nine was never made...did I say nightmare?

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:16pm

We'll find out that Elphaba shot JR!

[JP2]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:21pm

Hope JJ Abrams gets it.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:29pm

What happened to Baz Luhrman?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:32pm

I think Peter Greenaway or John Cameron Mitchell should do it!!!! Im serious about either.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:39pm

I love to see John CM do it!

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:46pm

Wicked does have a gothic feel to it and I think Mitchell could capture the humor and create some new and creative (not recycled or stolen) ways to film it in a fresh and artistic and sophisticated way.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:47pm

I say let Marshall do it, just to piss off the fangirls

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:50pm

I say let Marshall do it, just to piss off the fangirls

That would piss off everyone wanting to see this movie, because of Marshall's stupid repeated "It's all in their heads" approach to a musical.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:52pm

Let Chris Columbus do it. He can change all the sung parts to dialogue.

"Loathing. Unadulterated Loathing."
"For?"
"Your face."
"Your voice."
"Your clothing."
"Let's just say I loathe it all."

[strummergirl]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:52pm

"Will it all be set in Elphaba's mind?"
Nah, it should be from Galinda's mind since she's telling the whole story to the Ozzians.

I seriously thought Nine would be a career killer and doesn't Marshall have to do that Pirates film replacing Verbinski? I know Pirates will probably be an immediate draw if it does finish but if it is a mess and critical disaster, does anybody think he'll get major studio backing again?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:53pm

Spielberg has wanted to do a musical since the late 1980's when it was intended for HOOK to be one. Ever since I saw WICKED back in 2003, a film adaptation, at least in my mind, is directed by Spielberg.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/9/10 at 11:53pm

He's filming the 4th Pirates film as we speak (err, type).

The film is already in production.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 12:17am

"Wicked does have a gothic feel to it and I think Mitchell could capture the humor and create some new and creative (not recycled or stolen) ways to film it in a fresh and artistic and sophisticated way."

If they are going to make a film of this, I could not agree more.

I want to see a new approach taken to telling the story. I think an edgier and darker take would be a lot better and help translate the story to the big screen better

[A Director]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 12:22am

It's a rotten show and he's a rotten director. It's a perfect match!

[degrassifan]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 12:31am

Honestly, what's up with his "musical numbers in people's heads" concepts? He didn't film Annie that way and it turned out well.

I think a musical is more successful when it is clear from the trailer and/or beginning of the film that these characters live in a world where everything, even the deepest of emotions, is expressed in song and dance.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 12:49am

To his credit, it wasn't Rob Marshall's concept for CHICAGO. It was the writer's (Bill Condon). For CHICAGO, I think it worked brilliantly. The film is stellar.

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 12:56am

Right...Rob Marshall has only made two movie musicals in which songs happen in the minds of characters. Give him a break. Everyone loved Chicago and Nine was middling. He hasn't killed his career. Let's not forget he made Annie, and let's also not forget he made Memoirs of a Geisha. All three of his big screen films have garnered Oscar attention (Chicago - 13, winning 6; Memoirs of a Geisha - 6, winning 3; and Nine - 4, winning none). Marshall is far from being blacklisted. I'm actually surprised he gets blamed for projects like Nine -- I thought he did a swell job directing it; everything I didn't like about the film I attribute to the screenplay.

That being said, there is not a chance in hell that a WICKED movie is going to embrace the darker roots of the novel. It's just not gonna happen. It's a family musical, and the target audiences are going to be women, tweens, teens, and families. They actually want to make money with this. They're not going to try "something new" -- they're going to take the MAMMA MIA! route and change very little. Winnie Holzman is still writing the screenplay, mind you.

[musicalmack]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 1:40am

I'm with theatrefan4. What happened to Baz Luhrman? I think he'd do an excellent job with the show

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 2:06am

Ryan Murphy is in the running? If he gets it you can guarantee Glea Michelphaba.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 2:36am

I think walkedthroughmany hit the nail on the head. Marshall does seem like a one trick pony, but his one trick worked very well for Chicago (and yes it was his trick, Bill Condon just translated his idea to the page so he could re-translate it to the screen), and Nine has always taken place more or less in Guido's head. None of those women were ever actually in the spa with him in the Broadway version, they were memories and vignettes in his imagination.
His other films aside from Nine have done well artistically and in the box office, so there is no need to be too melodramatic here.

All of that said in his defense, I still don't think he is right for the job.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 2:54am

Oh, I was hoping Burton would tackle it wit Helena Bonham Carter as Galinda and Depp as Elphaba.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/10/10 at 5:44am

I'd be more worried that Marshall would put everybody in a bustier and push-up bra for their numbers, including the Wizard and Morrible.

And all the songs would be staged as strip teases.

The Robbie Horror Picture Show

EDIT: As far as directors, my first choice would be Peter Jackson.

Updated On: 7/10/10 at 05:44 AM