WICKED Film will be split into two movies, releasing Dec 2024 & Dec 2025- Page 5

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 8:33am

I’ll reserve judgement until I see the actual final product. Splitting the movie in two reminds me a lot of what they’re doing with the Final Fantasy 7 remake project, where they expanded an 8 hour at most segment from the original into a full-length game by introducing new plot threads and expanding on characters. Granted, that’s a video game and this is a movie adaption of a 2 hour stage show, so the comparison isn’t the same. But just like what the remake did, I’m expecting this movie to further develop parts of the story that weren’t given much attention (Dr. Dillamond comes to mind) and possibly include new elements to pad out the time. 
 

Is it first and foremost a decision to make more money? Probably, yeah. But if they manage to make the musical into a ‘definitive’ version of the narrative through the movie then I’ll be tuning in for both, though I understand the apprehension. 

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 9:49am

I have never been less excited for a film adaptation in my life.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/27/22 at 8:54pm

won’t schwartz need to write basically a whole new score to make two movies make sense? there’s just not enough material musically in the score (and it’s not a score that needs all of the songs it already has)

[John Adams]

Posted: 4/28/22 at 7:37am

gypsy101 said: "won’t schwartz need to write basically a whole new score to make two movies make sense?"

I think it depends on what, and how much material Chu intends to add to the movie(s). I don't think he needs to write an *entirely* new score, but it seems possible that the finalized Wicked project could result in something similar to Burton's adaptation of "Sweeney Todd" (less a musical, more a movie). 

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 4/28/22 at 12:54pm

This is really disheartening. It's April 2022 now--I don't know the production schedule for this but December 2025 is a long time to wait for the finished product. The least they could do is release both of them in 2024. Maybe one in the Summer and the other in December. 

If this does well, I'll be curious to see what other tie-ins come about with merchandise and the Universal theme parks.

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 10:39am

rattleNwoolypenguin said: "Wicked has always been a trifle with a bit more sophistication cause of Schwartz’s motifs throughout. It moves at lightning speed and the more time meditated on certain elements of the plot you start to go “wait what? Save the animals?” But what sells it all is when it starts becoming an Easter egg filled re do of the Wizard of Oz and you realize there’s a tongue in cheek element to all of it. People forget that musical is stuffed with jokes and a good 90 percent of them always land.


To split this in half not only is it a disservice to the continuity of the score, it’s gonna make the plot seem much stupider. And maybe I’m in the minority here- the Gregory Maguire book is especially stupid and over indulgent.

As well as- we have seen every single movie musical be a gamble. If this is bad, why would anyone come back and see part two?"

What was stupid about the McGuire book? It was deep and asked questions about people's natures. And the show is not stupid, it is a deep story about how a person can change and how they are perceived by people. It's about how someone innocent can seem so bad sheeple are willing to kill them. It's about what it really means to be a good person or  bad one.

 
I can't wait for the world-building production design and costumes and special effects along with the amazing singing. I am expecting Erivo's acting to also be good, but I don't know about Ariana. I still have optimism for her, though, and I have optimism for this two movie thing being done well enough to warrant it, though I do still have my doubts like just about everybody. I will wait to we see a trailer before I give up hope.

Updated On: 4/29/22 at 10:39 AM

[jbroadway4]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 2:06pm

Have a suspicious feeling that Charlie Puth is Fiyero. Not my first choice, but the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. If not him, I'm really pulling for Jeremy Pope!

[White_Lotus]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 2:14pm

I really do like "Wicked" but I honestly have to agree with the majority of the forum members who have expressed that there really is no reason why this has to be released in two parts. 

I suspect that they have to be adding material from the original novel or more musical numbers to justify the excessive length.

 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 4/29/22 at 2:55pm

Someone on Twitter I think said they think that each movie should be the same story from each of their POV.

I wanted to put my first through the screen.