Universal's WICKED Films - News & Discussion Thread- Page 12

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 12:55pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Rege Jean Page would be perfect and Fiyero doesn’t need a strong singer in the role."

He doesn’t?

[pmensky]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:25pm

I think both Jordan Fisher and Isaac Cole Powell seem a little young to match well with Cynthia. I think she needs a worthy opponent. Someone like Jeremy Pope? He has his youthful looks, but he has a level of maturity and sexiness about him that makes him more of a better match. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:30pm

"Rege Jean Page would be perfect and Fiyero doesn’t need a strong singer in the role."

Haha. He doesn't sing and Fiyero does need to be a strong singer. So....nope. 

[pmensky]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:36pm

Sutton Ross said: ""Rege Jean Page would be perfect and Fiyero doesn’t need a strong singer in the role."

Haha. He doesn't sing and Fiyero does need to be a strong singer. So....nope."

I thought he was the singer in a band, and I seem to remember him singing on SNL. Also THIS is something I found on YouTube from a recording he did for Audible.

[Tag]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:42pm

What movie musicals are you watching, of the last 15 years or so, makes it a prerequisite that the performers can actually sing, let alone strongly?

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:43pm

Considering they hired two women with incredible vocal talents.......I don't think that will be different with the rest of the cast. 

[pmensky]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:45pm

Tag said: "What movie musicals are you watching, of the last 15 years or so, makes it a prerequisite that the performers can actually sing, let alone strongly?"

Seriously. Johnny Depp played Sweeney Todd, Russell Crowe played Javert, and they’ve already hired a graduate from the Bob Dylan School of Diction to play Glinda. Hollywood isn’t that discerning about vocal quality.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:55pm

Um, Crowe was universally panned for being horrible in that movie so....that a bad example. I think he will hire actual singers for a musical. It's not really a crazy idea. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:56pm

pmensky said: "Tag said: "What movie musicals are you watching, of the last 15 years or so, makes it a prerequisite that the performers can actually sing, let alone strongly?"

Seriously. Johnny Depp played Sweeney Todd, Russell Crowe played Javert, and they’ve already hired a graduate from the Bob Dylan School of Diction to play Glinda. Hollywood isn’t that discerning about vocal quality."

I think worse examples include letting Pierce Brosnan, Gerard Butler, and Emma Watson be in musicals at all.

[pmensky]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:57pm

Sutton Ross said: "Um, Crowe was universally panned for being horrible in that movie so....that a bad example. I think he will hire actual singers for a musical. It's not really a crazy idea."

I hope so, too. I think the point, though, is that history has a different track record.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 1:59pm

Sutton Ross said: "Um, Crowe was universally panned for being horrible in that movie so....that a bad example. I think he will hire actual singers for a musical. It's not really a crazy idea."

No, I remember his performance in Les Misérables having its share of defenders. Someone even wrote a review of the film on these boards about a year or two after the release. They were not only more positive on Russell Crowe's performance, but they also mentioned "Gerard Butler did far worse in Phantom."

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:00pm

That's true but we expect more now, especially from Mr. Chu who hired actual singers for In The Heights. I think this one will follow that movies lead, which really worked for me. I was grateful they hired talented singers and not just people who speak the words (Ugh, Russell Crowe). 

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:02pm

To answer the question of current design team, John Myhre --"Mary Poppins Returns", "Chicago"-- is hired as production designer. Many of us familiar with the business are deeply disappointed that this designer got the nod. He has a tendency to Disney-fy his choices, and is not known for radical world-invention which a property as rich as WICKED truly deserves. Word is Myhre is also known for delegating huge amounts of the design process to his team. How I wish a true genius like Santo Loquasto, Sarah Greenwood --"Anna Karenina"-- or Mark Friedberg --"Joker"-- had gotten the call.

And yes, Ann Roth is supposed to do the costumes, though she's at work on a previous movie commitment in the Midwest first. Now THAT is a lady I WOULD call a genius, still happy to be working on great projects having just celebrated her 90th birthday!

Updated On: 11/6/21 at 02:02 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:07pm

I didn't know she was involved, these costumes will be FIRE. How exciting! 

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:11pm

Susan Sarandon for Morrible! 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:12pm

Someone in a Tree2 said: "To answer the question of current design team, John Myhre --"Mary Poppins Returns", "Chicago"-- is hired as production designer. Many of us familiar with the business are deeply disappointed that this designer got the nod. He has a tendency to Disney-fy his choices, and is not known for radical world-invention which a property as rich as WICKED truly deserves. Word is Myhre is also known for delegating huge amounts of the design process to his team. How I wish a true genius like Santo Loquasto, Sarah Greenwood --"Anna Karenina"-- or Mark Friedberg --"Joker"-- had gotten the call.

And yes, Ann Roth is supposed to do the costumes, though she's at work on a previous movie commitment in the Midwest first. Now THAT is a lady I WOULD call a genius, still happy to be working on great projects having just celebrated her 90th birthday!"

Source?

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:36pm

^ Fair question.

I'm friends with Ann Roth, having worked with her on a film in North Carolina this past Spring.

Re John Myhre, many folks wondered when John Chu was hired, if he would keep his design team from "In The Heights" and "Crazy Rich Asians". (I'm friends with some on that team.) Word was that the Universal producers insisted Chu go with a production designer better known for giant tentpole films. When John Myhre was hired, word of that decision spread around Hollywood art departments like wild fire. I can't be certain from which production designer I heard the news. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 2:40pm

Tag said: "Anyway I'd be shocked if Fiyero is not a BIPOC."

Not that the musical is book-accurate but it would be more book-accurate casting
 

 

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:07pm

For anyone nervous Ariana will use her pop voice for this, skip to 10:23: https://youtu.be/7_41-62igUM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:26pm

jbroadway4 said: "For anyone nervous Ariana will use her pop voice for this, skip to 10:23: https://youtu.be/7_41-62igUM "

No one is nervous.  She doesn’t have creative control on this film.  She is required to sing the role as written.  She can’t just do whatever she wants.  She’s simply employed talent and will have tutors and vocal coaches on this film. She proved enough during her workshops that were part of the audition process.  She will have people guiding her on areas she is limited on.  She isn’t just showing up, putting on her costumes and memorizing her lines.  There’s a lot of people that will be helping her during the filming, which is new territory for her. 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:39pm

Sutton Ross said: "That's true but we expect more now, especially from Mr. Chu who hired actual singers for In The Heights. I think this one will follow that movies lead, which really worked for me. I was grateful they hired talented singers and not just people who speak the words (Ugh, Russell Crowe)."

Yes, he hired actual singers that were great but the movie tanked hard. I think that is why Hollywood doesn’t hire singers or Broadway talent. They don’t sell tickets. I think they hired two singers and may populate other roles with big names they can auto tune. 

 

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:43pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "jbroadway4 said: "For anyone nervous Ariana will use her pop voice for this, skip to 10:23: https://youtu.be/7_41-62igUM "

No one is nervous. She doesn’t have creative control onthis film. She is required to sing the role as written. She can’t just do whatever she wants. She’s simply employed talent and will have tutors and vocal coaches on this film. She proved enough during her workshops that were part of the audition process. She will have people guiding her on areas she is limited on. She isn’t just showing up, putting on her costumes and memorizing her lines. There’s a lot of people that will be helping her during the filming, which is new territory for her."

I've been seeing plenty of people nervous, for their own reasons. I am not one of them. Simply just showing them that they shouldn't.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:52pm

Here’s another brief clip of Ariana showing her more legit vocal placement. She’ll sing the crap out of the role, if nothing else.

https://youtu.be/VMvxNOXvqLg

[jlindsey865]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 4:52pm

jbroadway4 said: "For anyone nervous Ariana will use her pop voice for this, skip to 10:23: https://youtu.be/7_41-62igUM "

This was so interesting to hear!  Re: Ariana, I think she is an incredibly talented vocalist who will rise to the occasion as far as singing the score goes.  Still unsure about her acting.

She clearly loves and respects the material, so I am hoping she will put in the time to nail the role.  She certainly as the potential.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 11/6/21 at 6:23pm

Bettyboy72 said: "Sutton Ross said: "That's true but we expect more now, especially from Mr. Chu who hired actual singers for In The Heights. I think this one will follow 
Yes, he hired actual singers that were great but the movie tanked hard. I think that is why Hollywood doesn’t hire singers or Broadway talent. They don’t sell tickets. I think they hired two singers and may populate other roles with big names they can auto tune.
 

Sigh, that's depressing but true. I just didn't consider Cynthia a big name. I don't like her but she has incredible vocals, however everything she's done since TCP has been a failure (in terms of the box office numbers and ratings.