Will "WICKED" movie be ready by Dec 2019?

I'm a little shocked we're still not hearing anything on the "Wicked" movie that is currently on Universal's calendar for release in December 2019. I know that is still 21 months away, but most big budget films with complicated shooting schedules, considerable pre-production work, complex green screen and FX requirements, sound mixing and pre-recording work, etc. would have started production by now.

I look at some of Disney's recent big-budget features like Maleficent, Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins Returns, and actual filming is completed well over a year in advance of release. It then takes a full year of post-production work to get the film across the finish line.

The live action Lion King film is being released in July 2019, and they have been at work on this film for over a year.

I know that filmmakers working on Les Miz were able to complete all of the process in a somewhat shortened period of time, but I think Wicked is going to be a bit more complex.

Any thoughts on this? Maybe they're doing a ton of work that isn't being reported... but you'd think we'd get a shooting schedule, and more importantly - a CAST soon, as I'm sure it will not be a short shoot, and they would need to work with people's schedules, etc.

To be honest I'm expecting news later in the year. I know Stephen Schwartz is going to be tied up for a while writing this Hans Christian musical which has been a pipe dream for him. Fortunately movie musicals are very profitable at the moment since the release of La La Land, Beauty and the Beast and The Greatest Showman and as far as I know Mamma Mia 2 is tracking very well with audiences. I'd expect Wicked to accelerate sooner rather than later.

Updated On: 2/28/18 at 08:45 PM

Executives studies in the industry are showing musical films are in demand with young and family audiences with further profits generated in chart topping album sales and opportunity with a lengthier cinema run with releases of additional sing-a-long screenings. Expect this year to have a lot of announcements for musical themed films.

Not to rain on your parade, but without knowing much about the creative team and performers attached, it really doesn't give you a whole lot to be excited or curious about; let alone a release date.

Once you have a teaser, then it will make more sense to be looking forward to an opening date.

I can't even consider this movie an actual thing yet. They'll need to start making more concrete announcements before I decide to get excited about it.

I agree with your suspicions. Expect to see the Dec 2019 date slip. There is no cast. There are no creatives announced. Once they have a cast signed and are building sets then you can start counting chickens. Until then they are very much in the putting it together stage. But on the positive side it is not dead.

haterobics said: "a-mad said: "I'm a little shocked we're still not hearing anything on the "Wicked" movie that is currently on Universal's calendar for release in December 2019."

I'm not sure why you think they would be promoting this as far as out as a Star Wars or Marvel comic movie. No one needs to put Wicked on their calendar this far out."

Uhhhh... I didn't say anything about promoting. I'm not talking about trailers, commercials, or posters. I'm talking about making the film itself. I'm quite aware of what this type of film's normal promotional trajectory is. I could care less if Wicked released a trailer only 3 months in advance of the film - I'm just stating that big films with complicated filming schedules, FX challenges (green-screen and so forth), and pre-recorded sound requirements typically get rolling about 2 years in advance of the release date, but word regarding Wicked has been crickets lately (and yes, Universal did set an official release date of December 20, 2019)

Justin Bieber hasn't been relevant in years.

Reports are out that Daldry will direct the Obi-Wan film in Spring 2019 so Wicked won't be released December 2019 for sure it would take too much scheduling to squeeze in pre-production, filming, editing and a press tour for him to be available for Wicked and he's been developing this film and the screenplay since around 2013 when he was first announced so he probably won't leave the director chair, it's looking more likely we will see Wicked around 2021.

How about hire Bill Condon to direct

Why?

The Obi-Wan thing is just a rumor right now; no one associated with Disney or Lucasfilm has officially announced it, so it isn't an established fact at this point in time.