Universal's WICKED Films - News & Discussion Thread- Page 93

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 8:04am

MezzA101 said: "'Wicked’ Box Office: All the Records the Movie Musical Shattered on Opening Weekend
https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/wicked-box-office-opening-weekend-records-1236222111/"

Oh what a celebration we'll have today! This is especially exciting because ever since the whole world started coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, there were several movie musicals that didn't do well commercially. Even well received ones like In the Heights, West Side Story, and The Color Purple (despite its impressive Christmas day opening). If any musical nowadays could do better, it would have to be one that is more family friendly, with bigger scope that demands to be seen on the big screen, and adapted from one of the most famous Broadway shows of all time. This especially bodes well for Wicked: Part Two next year.

[sherie_worshipper]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 8:08am

Jeffrey Karasarides said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The movie languished with Stephen Daldry signed on as director for years. Many release dates were announced and they came and went. Once Daldry left and Jon Chu came on, it was fast tracked. I got the impression that Universal and Marc Platt weren't in much of a hurry while the stage production was doing so well and everyone profiting from it. Universal's LES MIS had an even longer time between its stage premiere and film, and that film did quite well (WICKED will do better)."

When Winnie Holzman was interviewed by Julie James for SiriusXM On Broadway last year, she mentioned how they all knew fans wanted a movie, but none of the creatives were interested for a while. It wasn’t until about nearly a decade into the Broadway run when talks finally began. She also said that Stephen Daldry was their personal choice to direct, but after having been attached for several years, they all realized that he wasn't the right choice. As Stephen Schwartz is friends with Lin-Manuel Miranda, he got in touch with him in 2020 asking what it was like working with Jon M. Chu on In the Heights. Lin responded with “He's a good guy, he’s insanely collaborative, he loves musicals, and he dreams BIG.” Then heasked “Wait is this for Pippin or Wicked or what?” Schwartz then said “Thanks Lin, that’s very helpful.”

Cut to February 2nd, 2021, it was announced that Jon M. Chu took over as director. Lin texted Schwartz with "CHU for Wicked! How great!" He responded with "Well, you had something to do with that. Your recommendation, particularly as to how collaborative you found him to be, was influential. Also very positive things that Alex Lacamoire had to say. Also, I loved the In the Heights movie!"
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCm5qUkTYeS/?img_index=1"

The truth is that Schwartz had chosen Chu way before that. He was just asking his opinion, but of course LMM had to insert himself in the narrative to make it look like he’s responsible for the movie.

Schwartz had known Chu for years and was greatly impressed by Crazy Rich Asians, especially by how he had made Singapore look beautiful on screen - just how he wanted Oz to look like (Daldrey’s take on Oz was supposed to be very dark - almost WW2-like).

It was also Schwartz who chose Michelle Yeoh, by the way. It was all due to CRA, not ITH. That’s why Schwartz said “you had SOMETHING to do with that.” He always checks with his friends before he picks a collaborator, but the decision is always 100% his. Believe me, he texted a lot of friends before choosing Chu, but only one decided to make that public.

Updated On: 11/25/24 at 08:08 AM

[carlisle14]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 8:52am

Amazing movie.  Amazing.  Played homage to the show, added some amazing visual effects.  I was not sold on Grande as a co-lead when she was announced, but she was casted perfectly. I admit I was wrong.  Very, very believable as that egotistical type.. and she has pipes.. Can't believe we need to wait a year for part 2.  I am ready to see the rest NOW.  This one should rake in the awards, IMO.  Masterfully done.  

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 10:01am

Watched the film again (my second time) but this time at a friend's home who works for NBC/Universal and has the film screener on 4K Blu-ray. Have to say, I think I enjoyed it more, thanks to his 100" 4K TV. And yes, I take back my initial cringe of the "No One Mourns the Wicked" assessment based on my first time seeing the film at a movie theater. It was a perfect executed Prologue.

Once again, the film moved at a rapid pace - I purposely looked at my watch minutes into the film and we were already at the 45 minute mark and it felt like we were watching the film for 10-15 minutes. This film is truly glorious on every level. This ranks as one of the BEST film adaptations of a Broadway musical, right up there with the original 1961 WEST SIDE STORY (didn't care at all for Spielberg's non-Jerome Robbins' adaptation) and 1965's R&H's THE SOUND OF MUSIC (both incidentally directed by Robert Wise). Don't know if this 4K Blu-ray transfer I watched last night will be the same one released in March 2025 but if it is - it looks and sounds INSANE. There were no extras just the film on the screener and it did not have the "For Your Consideration" title popping up at any time so it's not an awards season screener.  

[babyjunegem]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 11:01am

I'm in the minority on this, but the film was a flat incoherent mess. I'm probably one of the few people here who has never seen Wicked on stage and is only familiar with some of music and the basic gist of the plot. Taken at face value, the movie makes little sense. The characters' motivations feel obligatory, not earned. Can anyone else chime in about how this movie stands on its own vs. as a companion to the musical? It's kinda like watching Harry Potter movies without reading the books. If you know what to anticipate, the holes aren't noticeable. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 11:21am

sherie_worshipper said: "Believe me, he texted a lot of friends before choosing Chu, but only one decided to make that public."

I'm definitely one of those who agree that LMM has at times been decidedly overexposed, but seizing on this entirely innocuous anecdote to criticize him seems bizarre to me.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 11:26am

babyjunegem said: "I'm in the minority on this, but the film was a flat incoherent mess. I'm probably one of the few people here who has never seen Wicked on stage and is only familiar with some ofmusic and the basic gist of the plot. Taken at face value, the movie makes little sense.The characters' motivations feel obligatory, not earned. Can anyone else chime in about how this movie stands on its own vs. as a companion to the musical? It's kinda like watching Harry Potter movies without reading the books. If you know what to anticipate, the holesaren't noticeable."

I'm the minority that found the stage musical to be overrated and very dull. I went to see the movie because of Ariana Grande (I'm still laughing at people who though she didn't have the vocal or acting chops for the role) and found the whole production to be astounding. I think I've finally understood the story because it was told the way it's meant to be told. I can't wait for the Part 2. 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 12:08pm

How better could a Kristin/Idina cameo have been shoehorned in?

I loved Chita in Chicago, Colm Wilkinson in Les Miserables was good..

This one not so much.

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 12:41pm

Let me preface by saying Wicked was my favorite musical. After seeing this, I think I prefer Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. But, this review is coming from a HUGE Wicked fan.

I finally saw Wicked, and WOW. I did not expect it to be that well directed. Glinda came like a goddess out of the sky. The transition of fish and the water to her past self in Shiz. The way they did Elphaba’s hazy vision. The way they staged songs. There were so many brilliant, genius ways of doing scenes. Cynthia went from the worst Blue Fairy ever to the best Elphaba I have seen, I think. She was sarcastic some times and deep other times. Ariana’s singing, and even speaking, was indeed breathy, but that was perfect for an airy character. Unfortunately, she comes off as dumb as a rock. I am sorry, that’s how I felt she came off. But, she did have great humor, a little wickedness at first, and I sympathized with her when she was sad. She had a deep sadness in the beginning, and even in the Ozdust ballroom. I feel Kristin did a smarter Glinda, but for the dumb blonde stereotype the character is written as, Ariana's portrayal worked. Jonathon was so hot and his acting, dancing, and singing were outstanding. He made a well-rounded Fiyero, surprisingly to me. Jeff was a great fit, as was Michelle, even though they talk-sang and I was worried about Michelle’s too subdued take. She really worked, she had a more quiet and manipulative evil, which made me hate her all the more. Ethan and Marissa were less presences, but they were fine. The Idina and Kristin cameo was near perfect, I loved the level of fan service, I think I just would have liked for them to be Ozma and some other original book character, something pertaining to the rulers of Oz in the original books? I never read the ones after The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but I know Ozma becomes the ruler of Oz and I think she was supposed to be the righful ruler before the Wizard?

So, is this the way to adapt a musical to film. I will say…no. The way to adapt a musical to film is to make one movie of the whole show. I definitely wanted some of the added and extended stuff, but I did not need every scene drawn out. I did not need a conversation with Elphaba and Dillamond about poppies. I did not need Fiyero to arrive in the picture unceremoniously before he gets to college. And I definitely did not need “Defying Gravity” to be so broken up and extended that it was like delayed gratification and I got blue balls. Twice. They ruined the ending that way. That said, Jon still managed to make the ending powerful. How in the hell did he do that?! But I would rather sit through a 4 hour movie of the whole story than two almost 3 hour parts, really. Also, I know people cried during Elphie and Glinda’s parts at the Ozdust, but I didn’t feel anything. Really, really Cynthia, you cried from that dance? Glinda was already joining you, why so sad? But I did feel, while not tears running down my cheeks, a lot of sad emotion in much of the opening number, so… Oh, and I felt the “gold hair with a gentle curl” and “there’s a girl I know” parts of “I’m Not that Girl” should have had Elphaba looking at Galinda and Fiyero, because it would have made the lyircs make visual sense and been sadder.

Would I like Jon to direct every musical in the future? I’m gonna say…I would accept that. I’d rather someone who could really get me to cry, but maybe Wicked’s material just doesn’t make me cry, or maybe Jon’s film making others cry is enough. I don’t know. But the film was GOOD is what matters. No, it was GREAT. So, maybe any musical he directed, that already had good material, would be at least pretty good. I’d love him to direct Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, or Follies. If only we had gotten him to direct Disney’s Into the Woods or Beauty and the Beast. Then again Disney refused to let Rapunzel die, so, if only Universal had gotten it’s hands on that, with Jon, first.

I do want to take a minute - is this musical really saying Animals being blamed for a draught and food shortage makes sense? What did Animals do, drink and eat too much?! And flying monkeys would be good spies?! No one's gonna notice a flying monkey near them?! And if they are way up in the air, the monkeys can see and hear clearly what people and Animals are doing and saying?! I think that's the only problem I have with the material.

Updated On: 11/25/24 at 12:41 PM

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 1:00pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "How better could a Kristin/Idina cameo have been shoehorned in?

I loved Chita in Chicago, Colm Wilkinson in Les Miserables was good..

This one not so much."

 

Once the hype settles a bit maybe people will see how cringe that sequence was lol

Someone said it was giving credit card commercial and it is that exact energy. Just humiliating.

Updated On: 11/25/24 at 01:00 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 3:49pm

Did anyone have any problems with thirtysomethings playing high-schoolers?

I’m 90 pages late to this thread, maybe this has been covered already…

Grease was/is ridiculed for it.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 3:51pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Did anyone have any problems with thirtysomethings playing high-schoolers?

I’m 90 pages late to this thread, maybe this has been covered already…

Grease was/is ridiculed for it."

Short answer is no.  I thought they still looked fairly young, and I think Shiz is the equivalent of college, not high school so they'd be older anyway.  Also it's a fantasy world so the rules kinda go out the window.  I actually thought Jonathon Bailey as Fiyero looked the oldest (but that could be explained by him getting kicked out of a ton of schools).

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 4:01pm

Yeah, it didn’t bother me either. Not really, but I feel it should. Suspension of disbelief, I guess.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 5:07pm

Shiz is a university not a high school. Many students also transfer to extend their education so many can be in their late 20s. Apparently you most likely never attended university level studies or you’d know have known the difference instead of questioning it. 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 5:18pm

“Popular” is not for two mature characters. I would have guessed 14 year olds on first listen.

University, okay. I forgot. Twentysomethings, sure. My bad. I am stoopid.

[Hey, Zelda!]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 5:20pm

chrishuyen said: "I actually thought Jonathon Bailey as Fiyero looked the oldest (but that could be explained by him getting kicked out of a ton of schools)."

"Christ, seven years of college down the drain..."

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 7:17pm

I saw the film last Friday, and could not believe that I didn't cry as much as when I have seen the stage production.  I cried a bit at the opening number, "The Wizard and I", "Popular" and bit and pieces of "Defying Gravity".  The other things that made me cry were how beautiful the set design and the amazing costumes.  Both of the leads were amazing and I wouldn't be the least bit surprise to see Oscar nominations for Grande and Bailey.  I felt that the film overall was very amazing!  Major props to Mr. Chu and the technical people!...

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 7:32pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Did anyone have any problems with thirtysomethings playing high-schoolers?

I’m 90 pages late to this thread, maybe this has been covered already…

Grease was/is ridiculed for it."

The only ones who stuck out to me as looking long in the tooth were Bailey and Slater. But suspension of disbelief and all that. I feel like Bailey’s performance was so strong that I didn’t care. Slater I think would’ve greatly benefited from a different hairstyle.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 7:35pm

They really tried to make Ethan look as hideodious as possible. I think Boq should be a bit cute. They made him look positively haggard.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 7:52pm

Like others have said, I think the fantasy setting helps a lot with the cast age somehow not being much of an issue (I don't know why, but the actor who I thought "wow they look kinda older than I am used to seeing them" was Bowen Yang.  I guess I haven't seen him blown up to Imax before.)

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 7:53pm

TotallyEffed said: "They really tried to make Ethan look ashideodious as possible. I think Boq should be a bit cute. They made him look positively haggard."

He looked fine. Apparently the choice was made that many residents of Munchkinland were gingers with curly hair. No issue with it here. 

[Alexander_Nevermind]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 9:23pm

sherie_worshipper said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The movie languished with Stephen Daldry signed on as director for years. Many release dates were announced and they came and went. Once Daldry left and Jon Chu came on, it was fast tracked. I got the impression that Universal and Marc Platt weren't in much of a hurry while the stage production was doing so well and everyone profiting from it. Universal's LES MIS had an even longer time between its stage premiere and film, and that film did quite well (WICKED will do better)."

When Winnie Holzman was interviewed by Julie James for SiriusXM On Broadway last year, she mentioned how they all knew fans wanted a movie, but none of the creatives were interested for a while. It wasn’t until about nearly a decade into the Broadway run when talks finally began. She also said that Stephen Daldry was their personal choice to direct, but after having been attached for several years, they all realized that he wasn't the right choice. As Stephen Schwartz is friends with Lin-Manuel Miranda, he got in touch with him in 2020 asking what it was like working with Jon M. Chu on In the Heights. Lin responded with “He's a good guy, he’s insanely collaborative, he loves musicals, and he dreams BIG.” Then heasked “Wait is this for Pippin or Wicked or what?” Schwartz then said “Thanks Lin, that’s very helpful.”

Cut to February 2nd, 2021, it was announced that Jon M. Chu took over as director. Lin texted Schwartz with "CHU for Wicked! How great!" He responded with "Well, you had something to do with that. Your recommendation, particularly as to how collaborative you found him to be, was influential. Also very positive things that Alex Lacamoire had to say. Also, I loved the In the Heights movie!"
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCm5qUkTYeS/?img_index=1"

The truth is that Schwartz had chosen Chu way before that.He was just asking his opinion, but of course LMM had to insert himself in the narrative to make it looklike he’s responsible for the movie.

Schwartz had known Chu for years and was greatly impressed by Crazy Rich Asians, especially by how he had made Singapore look beautiful on screen - just howhe wanted Oz to look like (Daldrey’s take on Oz was supposed to be very dark - almost WW2-like).

It was also Schwartz who chose Michelle Yeoh, by the way. It was all due to CRA, not ITH. That’s why Schwartz said “you had SOMETHINGto do with that.” He always checks with his friends before he picks a collaborator, but the decision is always 100% his. Believe me, he texted a lot of friends before choosing Chu, but only one decided to make that public."

We get it. You don’t like Lin Manuel Miranda. You may go now.  - - - - - >

[sherie_worshipper]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 10:12pm

Alexander_Nevermind said: "sherie_worshipper said: "Jeffrey Karasarides said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "The movie languished with Stephen Daldry signed on as director for years. Many release dates were announced and they came and went. Once Daldry left and Jon Chu came on, it was fast tracked. I got the impression that Universal and Marc Platt weren't in much of a hurry while the stage production was doing so well and everyone profiting from it. Universal's LES MIS had an even longer time between its stage premiere and film, and that film did quite well (WICKED will do better)."

When Winnie Holzman was interviewed by Julie James for SiriusXM On Broadway last year, she mentioned how they all knew fans wanted a movie, but none of the creatives were interested for a while. It wasn’t until about nearly a decade into the Broadway run when talks finally began. She also said that Stephen Daldry was their personal choice to direct, but after having been attached for several years, they all realized that he wasn't the right choice. As Stephen Schwartz is friends with Lin-Manuel Miranda, he got in touch with him in 2020 asking what it was like working with Jon M. Chu on In the Heights. Lin responded with “He's a good guy, he’s insanely collaborative, he loves musicals, and he dreams BIG.” Then heasked “Wait is this for Pippin or Wicked or what?” Schwartz then said “Thanks Lin, that’s very helpful.”

Cut to February 2nd, 2021, it was announced that Jon M. Chu took over as director. Lin texted Schwartz with "CHU for Wicked! How great!" He responded with "Well, you had something to do with that. Your recommendation, particularly as to how collaborative you found him to be, was influential. Also very positive things that Alex Lacamoire had to say. Also, I loved the In the Heights movie!"
https://www.instagram.com/p/DCm5qUkTYeS/?img_index=1"

The truth is that Schwartz had chosen Chu way before that.He was just asking his opinion, but of course LMM had to insert himself in the narrative to make it looklike he’s responsible for the movie.

Schwartz had known Chu for years and was greatly impressed by Crazy Rich Asians, especially by how he had made Singapore look beautiful on screen - just howhe wanted Oz to look like (Daldrey’s take on Oz was supposed to be very dark - almost WW2-like).

It was also Schwartz who chose Michelle Yeoh, by the way. It was all due to CRA, not ITH. That’s why Schwartz said “you had SOMETHINGto do with that.” He always checks with his friends before he picks a collaborator, but the decision is always 100% his. Believe me, he texted a lot of friends before choosing Chu, but only one decided to make that public."

We get it. You don’t like Lin Manuel Miranda. You may go now. - - - - - >"


I don’t mind him. I was just pointing out that he likes to force himself into situations that are not about him. And I was correcting Jeffrey’s narrative of how Jon M. Chu became the director of Wicked. Do you know any of these people in person? I do. And I’m staying. Have a nice life.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 11:25pm

Idina, Cynthia, Ariana, and Kristin: 

 

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/25/24 at 11:32pm

I saw the film today at a weekday morning showing (trying to avoid kids, parents, costumes, hats and singing.) It worked. Only three adults in the theatre. Heaven. 
 

My only real quibble is they don’t show Michelle Yeoh’s face during her fiery condemnation of Elphaba. I always found that so chilling on stage and gave the actress playing Morrible some room to show rage, contempt and unbridled evil. Also Yeoh is so beautiful and I think it would have been effective to see her face contort with rage. To truly make her a Villian. I also wished her makeup was a little more severe. I love heavy powder and lip on Morrible. 
 

Also I’m a little unsure why Bowen Yang was in the ensemble. Yes I know he was featured a bit but still mostly ensemble. He pulled focus for me because he’s such a campy ham. Maybe that’s what they wanted. I didn’t care for it.