WICKED film to enter development "soon"

[bobs3]

Posted: 12/13/12 at 11:47pm

Okay, I want you guys to start proposing Broadway ensemble members for the leads so I can have a good laugh at your expense when Taylor Swift and Sarah Hyland get the roles.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/13/12 at 11:52pm

?

[Wynbish]

Posted: 12/13/12 at 11:52pm

[faithzilla]

Posted: 12/13/12 at 11:53pm

Just...no.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 12/13/12 at 11:53pm

[CapnHook]

Posted: 12/14/12 at 12:02am

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/14/12 at 1:06am

Anne has dibs on Elffie and Taylor is auditioning wih SOM for Galinda.

Updated On: 12/14/12 at 01:06 AM

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 12/14/12 at 4:08pm

I'll believe it when I see it. Wasn't In the Heights announced for film development as well, several years back?

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

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

Well, the WICKED movie will definitely happen. At some point. It's one of the biggest Broadway hits of all time and it's backed by Universal and Mark Platt.

The IN THE HEIGHTS movie is pretty much not gonna happen at all at this point, I would assume.

[James885]

Posted: 12/14/12 at 4:45pm

This is basically a non-story. Just because it enters development doesn't mean it's going to be made any time soon.

[castlestreet]

Posted: 12/14/12 at 4:50pm

With Les Miz already looking like a critical darling, and probably going to do well at the box office, don't be surprised if several movie musicals get fast tracked into production- see Chicago

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 12/14/12 at 4:52pm

Hollywood and the Movie Industry can be so stupid at times. The mere thought that LesMis will be a major hit will get people talking about lots of Musicals making it to the screen.
Instead of carefully planning anf taking time with casting etc. (which it seems LesMis did) they rush into productions with the flavor of the month.
They'll never learn.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 7:18am

If it were to be made in next year or so id go for

Sam Barks as Elphaba
Justin Timberlake as Fiyero (think he could just get away with it age wise)
Judi Dench or Helen Miran as Morrible

No idea on Glinda

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 7:34am

There is an article in this week's Entertainment Weekly that says, basically, "Wicked" is still years away from a film version, but that its producer Marc Platt says the time has come to start the development process now.

That doesn't start with casting, folks. It starts with story and script development, which means hiring a writer or writers and possibly bringing a director on board to work with the early development as well.

That can take years, especially if (as Platt says), he is in no rush to get this to the screen. Your movie leads are probably all in the sixth grade right now.

Updated On: 12/16/12 at 07:34 AM

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 10:15am

If this all happened in the next 2-3 years I'd like to see Anna Kendrick and Anne Hathaway take it on.

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 10:24am

I don't see a WICKED movie happening at all, frankly, especially with this newest OZ movie. Give the audiences a break for a year or two before we release another OZ themed movie, please!

Honestly, why see the WICKED movie when you can just see it in NYC or one of the tours (if there are any)?

The magic of WICKED can't be created on film. It ain't gonna happen. No matter how well they film "Defying Gravity", it won't be as awesome as it is on stage. Also, people are going to complain either way - either it's too close to the stage show or it's not close enough and they've changed too much and blah blah blah. You guys know how it is.

It won't happen but I would love for them to mix up the musical with the darker source material. I read the novel about once a year and it's one of my favorites.

Because it is film, they're going to have to start with scratch. RENT doesn't work as a movie because the script relied too much on the stage show.

I could go on and on but I'll stop now.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 10:40am

Because you can pay $60 dollars to sit in the very last row at the Gershwin or $12.50 to pick the seat of your choice.

Because if done right, cast well and promoted like it should it'll make more money in a month then the show does in a year. I could be wrong, but when this does become a movie, I see it being HUGE despite if the critics like it or not. There are people who can't get to New York or afford the tour that would go to the movie hoping to experience the same magic.



Updated On: 12/16/12 at 10:40 AM

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 11:03am

"hoping to experience the same magic"

Then they will be severely disappointed. You can't create that pre-curtain buzz or hearing the overture start on film, no matter how hard they try or how much money they spend.

I'm really not trying to be a Debbie Downer because I do agree with most of what you said, ucjrdude. People who go in expecting the same as the stage show are going to be, again, disappointed.

[darquegk]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 12:43pm

Hmm... is your essential position that musicals don't work on film at all, because the experience of live music, singing and performance is what drives the show, not the actual plot, music or performances simply BEING? If so, do you think any other movie musicals work, or are musicals best left to the stage?

[Jungle Red]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 1:00pm

My position is that fans should expect to see a movie, not a recreation of their favorite musical on film. That doesn't work.

Rabbit Hole works because they made it in a movie. Proof didn't work because it was too much like the play.

I think Hairspray, Dreamgirls, West Side Story, Chicago work as a movies because the filmmakers understood the needs of the films. I haven't seen Nine or Rock of Ages so I can't say why those didn't work.

We'll see about Les Miserables.

[faithzilla]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 1:17pm

No matter what, Wicked is going to be a cash cow. I mean, people who have never seen a real theatre production can belt out (poorly) Defying Gravity and Popular. Everyone will see it. So I don't think there's any question that it will be made.

I'm just thinking and hoping it goes as best12bars said. If they don't rush it, the movie could be amazing.

JungleRed, it's interesting that you said RENT doesn't work as a film. That bodes well for a Wicked film, as I was in 8th grade when RENT came out and it was a huge hit with all middle/high schoolers. I would suspect a Wicked movie would have a similar young following.

[James885]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 2:22pm

No matter what, Wicked is going to be a cash cow.

Folks said the same thing about the Phantom film, and while it didn't do to badly (total domestic + worldwide gross was $150 million), it didn't set the box office on fire.

I also remember people saying similar things prior to Rent movie coming out and that filmed bombed at the box office.

[SpaceOpera]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 2:24pm

I find it interesting that the point was made that the upcoming Oz film would negatively affect the release of a Wicked film. If Oz is successful, I foresee that jumpstarting production on a Wicked film adaptation. If Universal thinks that Wizard of Oz films are making money, they'll want to cash in on that while it's hot.

That said, a film version of Wicked actually has TWO sources to draw from. They can adapt both the stage musical as well as the novel from which the musical is based. Because of this, if done well, a film version of Wicked can most definitely work. It doesn't have to be a straight up translation of the musical like Rent, as one poster suggested. It will all depend on whether those developing the film choose to use both sources.

Wicked WILL be a film. Most likely it will be wildly popular. We just have to wait and see if it is also made well.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 3:46pm

Folks said the same thing about the Phantom film, and while it didn't do to badly (total domestic + worldwide gross was $150 million), it didn't set the box office on fire.

I also remember people saying similar things prior to Rent movie coming out and that filmed bombed at the box office.

But those were horrible movies - the word of mouth helped kill them off. I think, if done well, Wicked could be the biggest movie musical of all time. It has so much potential and I hope it lives up to it.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 12/16/12 at 5:18pm

^I agree. They have tons to draw from. I think they will do what Les Miz is doing and take some stuff from the book. Then on top of that, they have the Oz films, the Oz novels. We as a society LOVE Oz in general. Then add to the fact the musical has (IMO) an incredible score and fantastic book, I think it could do magically at the box office.