Menzel and Chenoweth will NOT be Elphaba and Glinda in the Wicked Movie

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 12:19pm

Well, WE don't think so, but others might. According to Attitude Magazine, Universal Pictures is trying to push the film adaptation of Wicked to the big screen "sooner rather than later." The recent movie success of Les Miserables rekindled the company's interest in the project. However, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth are out of the running for the lead roles.
Menzel and Chenoweth 'Too Old' for Film Adaptation of WICKED?

[xxdrewboy85xx]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 12:35pm

Yes, they are way too old! Everyone uses the success of Les Miz as why this needs to be greenlit 'sooner rather than later', but what about the success of Frozen?! I personally would much rather see an animated version hit the big screen over a live action film with way too much CGI starring Lea Michele.

If it was animated (which it should be) Kristin and Idina could both still do it. And it would probably make more money. Win Win.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 12:53pm

Universal waited too long to bank on the success of Les Mis. They got beaten to the punch with a Wicked Witch origin story on screen by Disney, and now you have that Legends of Oz (which looks thoroughly underwhelming to me) finally getting a release. The question is how much Oz can the film market bare, especially when two of those films are origin stories (and there is still potential for a sequel to Disney's film, too).

[candydog2]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 12:58pm

Chenoweth and Menzel have been out of the running for years. Even if they were young enough I doubt we'd see them cast over bigger stars.

I kind of agree with drewboy though. I'd much rather see an animated version if it's done well. I must be one of the few people who hates live action combined with CGI. Bring back animatronics I say....

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 1:19pm

What a shocker that two women in their forties won't be passing for two University students....

[ShakinBaconGirl]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 1:26pm

I'm baffled that people actually thought they were in the running...

[BobbyBubbi]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 1:35pm

Legends of Oz /does/ look pretty dreadful. It was actually finished a couple of years ago, but I think they dragged their feet when they saw the final product.

What I'm unsure of with Wicked, is how much "intellectual properties" from the original "Wizard of Oz" film (owned by Warner Brothers) Universal will be able to get away with, e.g. The Ruby Slippers which are a heavily copyrighted image.

As for Menzel and Chenoweth, too bad it took so long, as both of them seem to be gaining more momentum in the hollywood "mainstream." I'm sure they will have cameos.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 1:36pm

Well the precedent is there...

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 1:51pm

The Rent film was so horrible, and one of the worst movies I've ever seen. If I want to see Rent again, I just watch Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway.

"I'm baffled that people actually thought they were in the running..."

Me too, but on another thread talking about this people said she could totally pull it off due to her success in Frozen. LOL.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:00pm

Well, if Universal went the way of the 2007 Beowulf film, they would be perfect in it. And honestly, I think for a film like this, it would be the right way to go.

[candydog2]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:01pm

I don't see how the ruby slippers would be a copyright issue. They already use them in the stage production so they must have sorted it out somehow.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:25pm

^ Yes, by never referring to them as the ruby slippers and just having red light hit them when they're revealed so they sparkle (i.e., they're not literal ruby slippers).

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:27pm

I don't see how the ruby slippers would be a copyright issue.

That was a CHANGE made for the Oz movie. They were originally Silver in the book and the book is what is public domain. The green witch gets a pass because, I believe, in the book they never say what color she is so MGM couldn't claim that was an actual change from the book.

[candydog2]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:37pm

Yes, I'm aware that they were originally silver in the books and were made red for the movie. What I meant was that if Warner Brothers already allows them to be red on stage, I'm sure that they'd be willing to negotiate something for the movie.

Good point about them never being referred to as ruby slippers on stage though - I never noticed that. Maybe that would work on screen too?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:53pm

Can't blame anyone for thinking there's something wrong with (allowing for a year or two before filming could start) a 45 and a 50 year old school girl.

[James885]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 2:53pm

I'm baffled that people actually thought they were in the running...

This. It amazes me how some folks seemed to think that it was actually conceivable that Idina and Kristin would reprise their roles in the film.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 3:24pm

It doesn't baffle me at all because we don't live in the 1930's. We live in an age where with technology the way it is, a 50 year old woman can play the role and have computers make it look like she's the right age. As I said before, if Universal wants these two women to play the roles, there's a perfectly acceptable way for them to film this movie and have it be all the better for it.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 3:34pm

"Can't blame anyone for thinking there's something wrong with (allowing for a year or two before filming could start) a 45 and a 50 year old school girl."

100% right :)

[Everlast85]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 3:35pm

"I would die to be in [the film], except I'm afraid Kristin [Chenoweth] and I... they told us we're a little over the age for that."

Good on Universal, they are wayyyy too old. Gorgeous ladies though.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 3:52pm

There's a big difference between shining a red light on a pair of silver shoes and actually making them with red rubies. BIG. DIFFERENCE. They're actually not called ruby red in the stage show either.

I want a live action version of the book, preferably on HBO.

[candydog2]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 4:32pm

CGI-ing two women in their 40s to look like they're in their 20s is not possible without it looking terrible. It would look unnatural and weird. CGI hasn't quite reached that stage yet in my opinion.

I'd love for them to sing the score on film though. For this to happen it would have to be animated. If not, it would be great if they could dub whatever actors they go with in the end like the old days. They'd never do that in this day and age though.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 4:43pm

I was referring to the entire thing being a CGI film, like has been done before.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 4:54pm

And like Kristin says, Kristin can be Madame Morrible. I just wish there was another huge female character that Idina can play. I hate to see one getting a tiny part and the other gets a big part.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 5:02pm

Yes, let's have Kristin and Idina look like wax characters like in Beowulf!


"It would look unnatural and weird." Like this? Yes, yes it would.

[Everlast85]

Posted: 5/4/14 at 5:07pm

HAHAHA, that looks ridiculous. I never caught that movie, I think that's a good thing. A no CGI Wicked is the way to go, I think.