Wicked the movie!

[ilovemattyfresh2]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:26pm

i was at universal studios today, and there were posters all over the place about Wicked! Perhaps this is a confirmation that the movie is on its way?! Anyone heard anything for sure?

[NYCbabe3789]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:30pm

Didn't Universal help produce WICKED? I think they were going to make a movie but then Gregory Maguire said no so that they could do the musical instead. If that was the case then it wouldn't be surprising for Universal to have posters of it everywhere. It doesn't necessarily mean they are still making a movie.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:32pm

its called corporate synergy.. Universal is one of the producers of the musical... if you look at their website (www.universalstudios.com) its there and if you call any of the universal phone lines, its the hold music.

just part of the marketing efforts...

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:33pm

Universal has been publicizing WICKED (Broadway) on several of their theme park, Music (CDs/Soundtracks), and film websites in banners. I think it is just to hype the show, not neccessarily the film.

But now that you mention Universal Studios, wouldn't it be AWESOME if they added a WICKED attraction. Maybe the entire show itself or a ride. LOLOL, I can see it now. Elphaba, Galinda, the Wizard, and the bobble heads from "One Short Day" as a street characters. (NOT!)

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 9:37pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see a film version of WICKED eventually. I mean we have PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, THE PRODUCERS, HAIRSPRAY, SWEENEY TODD coming soon to name a few, with a whole lot more in talks. It's probably just a matter of time.
-Matt

[Elphie]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 10:02pm

Stop!! No more musicals into movies!!

[wickedfan]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 10:14pm

Why not? Everything on broadway is movies turned into musicals. I want to see the tables turned.

[BillyLawlor]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 10:19pm

I completely support musicals being turned into movies. What are we going to watch when we can't get to Broadway?
Look at Chicago; I actually like it better than the broadway show. It was more colorful, and it's approach was new, exciting, and pretty innovative and smart. If every movie musical was like that, I for one would be absolutely thrilled.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/1/04 at 10:36pm

Hear, hear. Movie musicals are a great idea, as long the people making them have respect for both stage and screen and know the differences between them well enough to make the adaptation work. Oh, and as long as the actors can sing. :) As fine a job as she did, I don't want to go back to the Marni Nixon days.

But there are sooo many musicals I want to see filmed before Wicked. Bleh. Updated On: 5/1/04 at 10:36 PM

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 11:06am

"Why not? Everything on broadway is movies turned into musicals."

Yes, Hairspray, The Producers, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and even Chicago(it was based on the film Roxie Hart) and Wicked (book, movie, another book to musical) were all based on movies.

But not Avenue Q!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOO

[mominator]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 11:15am

If a movie musical is made from Wicked I'd rather see it be closer to the book than the show. But that is just me.
Barbara
( How can it already be Sunday?)

[HunterFosterIsMyGod]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 11:41am

i love movie-musicals, but only the old ones...like "Singin' In The Rain." LVOE that one!

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:05pm

I think movie musicals are REALLY good for Broadway. It brings musicals to a more main-stream audience and it can branch out to people who have never seen a broadway musical. And if all those broadway shows made into movies do the same for Chicago the broadway musical, then that is awesome for Broadway in general. It can also get people hooked on Broadway shows, and then we will have a bigger audience which equals money, which equals new shows! =D haha also dont forget the plays that are being turned into movies, like Proof.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:31pm

You're definately right. I mean, look what the CHICAGO movie did for the show. I mean, we got Melanie Griffith! Maybe when the PHANTOM movie is released in December she'll take over as Christine!

[StateOfJade]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:36pm

'Movie musicals are REALLY good for Broadway.'

Well, if they are done correctly, of course. I was very happy to see the success of the movie 'Chicago.' I hope that the other movie-musicals that are currently in the works will be as good.

[NYUstud]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 1:47pm

I was there last week and I saw the same poster. It made me wonder what was up also.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 2:19pm

The planned WICKED movie was not a musical. It was planned as a film based off of the novel, no music involved but the score.

Certain shows I can imagine being better on film than on stage. THE PRODUCERS musical, for one, I was envisioning on film throughout the play.

INTO THE WOODS works better on stage than on film, IMHO.

MAMMA MIA!, I think would be much better as a film than a theatrical show (although the show is nice on stage, the plot is much better suited for film).

PHANTOM looks like its headed for great success as a film.

HAIRSPRAY is a great example of how something works better on film than on stage. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the Broadway show and enjoyed it more than the film, but on film, it works better.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 2:48pm

I would love for Movie Musicals to make a big comeback, and for more people to be intrigued enough to want to attend a Broadway show; but I hope it wouldn't have the opposite effect and cause people to say, "Well, why pay $100 to see a Broadway Show when I can watch the movie for $10?"
In Wicked's case I think it woud be much better to have it based on the book and not make it a musical. I love the musical on stage, but I don't think it would look right as a movie.

I enjoyed Chicago when I saw the Broadway show; but I'm so glad I saw it on stage before I saw the movie. I thought the movie was so much better, and I might have been dissapointed by the staged production...even though I think the staged producion is quite brilliant in a different way (particularly the lighting).

[nystateomind04]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 3:44pm

i like the idea of more movie musicals, but i really hope they use stunt-casting sparingly. im not trying to start another one of these arguments, but i do think it will be an important issue in the making of such films... nickole kidman is already signed for the producers and i am not looking forward to that. i dont find her to be as talented as most seem to, especailly when it comes to singing.

[shira467]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 6:04pm

On that same note - Minnie Driver as Carlotta. I don't doubt that Minnie can sing well, but I have read that she admits that she is unable to sing the higher range of Carlotta! That is what I believe is a supreme example of stunt-like casting. Where you bring her in because of the name, even if she doesn't have the vocal chops required,

[citylights]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 8:22pm

I never thought of Mamma Mia as a movie, now that I do, I think it would be excellent! It's on an island somewhere (Mediterranean?), so there would be some beautiful scenery, and I agree that the plot would work well for film.

I think movie musicals are a good thing, as long as they stay reasonably true to their source (ex: in old plans for a Rent movie they planned to turn some of the music, like Light My Candle, into plain dialogue). A friend of mine, who can't stand musicals, loved Chicago and now goes to see more shows.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:35pm

If you want to hear Minnie Driver sing, you can watch her film BEAUTIFUL. She sings at the end of it.
-Matt

[Plum]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:36pm

I think I heard that Driver can sing- but she's an alto.

I think.

Not sleeping for 26 hours will do strange things to your memory.

[shira467]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:44pm

right - so why should she be cast in a role that needs a hell of a soprano?!

[Plum]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:54pm

*shrugs*

I really can't fathom these things sometimes.