Jon M. Chu has cast a spell over fans of blockbuster stage musical Wicked by announcing on Twitter that his forthcoming adaptation will now be split into two movies released over consecutive Christmases, with the first arriving in December 2024.
Chu cited the fact that they were finding it “impossible to wrestle the story of Wicked into a single film without doing some real damage to it” and that it was causing “fatal compromises to the source material”. You can read the full statement below…
Special #Wicked Movie Announcement… ✌🏼🎬🧹🌸💚sent from my OzPhone: pic.twitter.com/4qPpvVD4rR
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) April 26, 2022
Starring Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale) as Elphaba, and pop megastar Ariana Grande (Don’t Look Up) as Glinda, Wicked is a musical told from the perspective of the Witches from The Land of Oz.
Wicked saw a national tour and multiple global productions that was seen by over 60 million people worldwide, making it one of the most successful theatrical shows of all time. It’s also an acclaimed production, winning over 100 international awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.
Do you think Wicked is a story worth telling in two parts, or do you worry that people might not return after the interval? Let us know what you think by heading to our social channels @FlickeringMyth…