Universal's WICKED Films - News & Discussion Thread- Page 7

[ElephantLoveMedley]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 9:51pm

Cynthia Erivo is inspired casting. I had been hoping for Lady Gaga for years, but Erivo is still a really great pick. This is the role that will launch her into pop culture legend status. She's been doing incredible work building her résumé since The Color Purple with her TV and Oscar-nominated film work, but this will officially cement her legacy for generations to come. She'll deliver the vocals required for the role and based on her performances as Celie on stage and Harriet Tubman on screen, I think it's clear that she can deliver the nuances necessary to show Elphaba's initial vulnerability/awkwardness and eventual strength, power, and fieriness. Absolutely delighted on this front. 

Ari is the huge question mark here for me. It's a really smart commercial choice since her fans will flock to theaters to see this, and I do trust her vocal abilities—but Glinda is a significantly bigger role than just being able to provide a good sing. First, can she develop the diction and enunciation skills necessary to nail Glinda's iconic songs? Second, has her acting improved since Hairspray Live? She needs to take us on a huge journey in this. Third (and the dumbest question of them all), can she pull off blonde?! Ha.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 9:58pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I think CGI will play heavily into especially that character, so I wouldn’t say it’s even remotely the same thing."

Yep, plus it all takes place in the land of Oz so suspension of disbelief will be strong and potent in comparison to Dear Evan Hansen. I will agree with some that Ariana Grande's casting is a bit of a question mark, but I'm hopeful that she has been taking acting classes and will be leaps and bounds better than she was on Hairspray Live! where she was out of place.

[Quinn Wilson]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:00pm

ElephantLoveMedley said: "Cynthia Erivo is inspired casting. I had been hoping for Lady Gaga for years, but Erivo is still a really great pick. This is the role that will launch her into pop culture legend status. She's been doing incredible work building her résumé since The Color Purplewith her TV and Oscar-nominated film work, but this will officially cement her legacy for generations to come. She'll deliver the vocals required for the role and based on her performances as Celie on stage and Harriet Tubman on screen, I think it's clear that she can deliver the nuances necessary to show Elphaba's initial vulnerability/awkwardness and eventual strength, power, and fieriness. Absolutely delighted on this front.

Ari is the huge question mark here for me. It's a really smart commercial choice since her fans will flock to theaters to see this, and I do trust her vocal abilities—but Glinda is a significantly bigger role than just being able to provide a good sing. First, can she develop the diction and enunciation skills necessary to nail Glinda's iconic songs? Second, has her acting improved sinceHairspray Live? She needs to take us on a huge journey in this. Third (and the dumbest question of them all), can she pull off blonde?! Ha."

This is absolutely the clearest and most concise reaction. Cynthia is an inspired and admittedly obvious casting choice. No doubts she will be perfect. But Ariana is…so far out of left field. I’ve yet to be impressed with her acting at all, obviously the vocal ability is there. I’m just so curious…

[Tag]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:10pm

Jordan Catalano said: "Also, now I hope they get Mandy Patinkin for Dillamond"

Bravo Jordan.

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:16pm

Cynthia really can deliver a GREAT Elphaba 

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:19pm

Honestly this is not at all what I was expecting but I’m not mad at it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:26pm

Zac Efron is obviously going to be Fiyero, right?

[Phillytheatreguy10]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:29pm

Ok, Cynthia, brilliant, Ari- get the girl back to her musical theatre roots, remind her what diction is and she could deliver here, if we get same Ari pop star runs and indecipherable lyrics it’ll be a no from me- however, seeing what Chu did with In the Heights, I’m excited about what this movie could be.

[sondheim94]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:32pm

silent said: "Odd pairing. Ariana still looks like a little girl. Erivo in another musical is just as boring as J Hud in another one."

The racism JUMPED out. Phew.

[silent]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:35pm

wsondheim94 said: "silent said: "Odd pairing. Ariana still looks like a little girl. Erivo in another musical is just as boring as J Hud in another one."

The racism JUMPED out. Phew."

Simmer down. I am black and I still think it’s boring that producers turn to either one of those two for every musical. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:42pm

silent said: "wsondheim94 said: "silent said: "Odd pairing. Ariana still looks like a little girl. Erivo in another musical is just as boring as J Hud in another one."

The racism JUMPED out. Phew."

Simmer down. I am black and I still think it’s boring that producers turn to either one of those two for every musical."

Huh?

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:44pm

Has anyone checked in on Dove Cameron?

Jordan Fisher is going to be Fiyero, right?

 

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:44pm

BroadwayAndSports said: "So everyone that clowned Ben Platt for being 27 playing 17 will surely clown Cynthia Erivo for being 34 and playing 18….right?"

You mean like 33 year old Idina Menzel did?

 

 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:46pm

YvanEhtNioj said: "Honestly this is not at all what I was expecting but I’m not mad at it. "

Neither am I. This pairing should be interesting.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:46pm

silent said: "Simmer down. I am black and I still think it’s boring that producers turn to either one of those two for every musical."

..........wut?

You do realize this is Cynthia's debut in a major Hollywood movie musical right?

[52889j]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:47pm

silent said: "wsondheim94 said: "silent said: "Odd pairing. Ariana still looks like a little girl. Erivo in another musical is just as boring as J Hud in another one."

The racism JUMPED out. Phew."

Simmer down. I am black and I still think it’s boring that producers turn to either one of those two for every musical."

This is Cynthia Erivo's first movie musical...

[sng]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:49pm

https://twitter.com/rosedommu/status/1456445074594693126?s=20

https://twitter.com/TomZohar/status/1456441281333194755?s=20

 

These are so good. and all the Lea Michele tweets as well. 

[Globefan]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:50pm

ggersten said: "Has anyone checked in on Dove Cameron?

Jordan Fisher is going to be Fiyero, right?

"

Dove Cameron's doing just fine. 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:51pm

silent said: "Odd pairing. Ariana still looks like a little girl. Erivo in another musical is just as boring as J Hud in another one. "

No, Ariana doesn't look like a little girl in real life. I took my daughter to her concert in 2019 and she looks her age up close. I think it's her short height that makes that impression. She is a great choice to play Glinda. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:53pm

BwayLB said: "YvanEhtNioj said: "Honestly this is not at all what I was expecting but I’m not mad at it. "

Neither am I. This pairing should be interesting."

100% in agreement.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:53pm

So happy Jessie J is far away.

[silent]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:54pm

Cynthia played Aretha in the TV series and a singer in Bad Times at the El Royale. “Musically related features.” Anyways, carry on.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:54pm

pmensky said: "Grande still seems so youthful and still part of the Disney Channel-type age, whereas Errivo has played Harriet Tubman and feels like a grown woman. It’s difficult to imagine them as peers going through school together and falling for the same guy. To me, something feels imbalanced."

Keep in mind that both leads are only college students in the first act of the stage musical. While no exact number of years is specified, a good deal of time passes from the end of Act I to the beginning of Act II. So they’re likely supposed to be somewhat older in the second act.

[pmensky]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:55pm

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "pmensky said: "Grande still seems so youthful and still part of the Disney Channel-type age, whereas Errivo has played Harriet Tubman and feels like a grown woman. It’s difficult to imagine them as peers going through school together and falling for the same guy. To me, something feels imbalanced."

Keep in mind that both leads are only college students in the first act of the stage musical. While no exact number of years is specified, a good deal of time passes from the end of Act I to the beginning of Act II. So they’re likely supposed to be somewhat older in the second act."

Great, I’ll just show up to the film about an hour late. Thanks.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/4/21 at 10:56pm

Musical Master said: "I wonder if Cynthia playing Elphaba means that she is going to be busy and unavailable to play Celie for The Color Purple film adaptation that's also supposed to be in development."

Even though The Color Purple is currently scheduled to be released in December 2023, it’s not known yet when principal photography on that will be taking place. It’s possible for Cynthia to still do that if it doesn’t overlap with Wicked.