Back in 2016, Universal Pictures announced that it was working on a big screen adaptation of Wicked, the smash hit stage musical which reimagines L. Frank Baum’s classic tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with the studio setting a Christmas 2019 release date for the film.
Last September, Wicked creator Stephen Schwartz – who is scripting the film with Winnie Holzman (Jerry Maguire) for director Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot) – revealed that the project was “100 percent” happening but would not arrive this year, and now comes word that Universal has given it a new date of December 22nd 2021.
Wicked is a retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the witches, and has grossed over $1.3 billion at the theatre box office since its launch 15 years ago. The new release date for the movie puts it in competition with Avatar 3, along with an as-yet-untitled Disney live-action movie, and an untitled Warner Bros. animated feature.
Via Variety
Originally published February 10, 2019. Updated December 4, 2022.
