A big screen version of the hit stage musical Wicked has been talked about for a number of years now. Stephen Daldry (The Reader, Billy Elliot) has been linked to direct but as yet no other information has been confirmed by Universal; however we may be seeing the movie adaptation a lot sooner than we first anticipated.
FilmDivider are claiming that one of their sources witnessed the Screen Film Summit presentation by Vue Cinemas CEO Tim Richards and during the slide-show Wicked was being hailed as a highlight of the 2016 release calendar.
If this is indeed the case then we should be getting some official clarification from Universal very soon as casting and production would be due to begin early next year.
Wicked is a 2003 Broadway musical – and later hit the West End – based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, which is itself an alternate adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It tells the untold origin story of the Witches of Oz Elphaba and Glinda the Good.
Interestingly enough Universal bought the rights and planned to develop a live-action movie version long before the musical ever saw the light of day. Idina Menzel (Frozen) rose to fame after winning the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for originating the role of Elphaba. After her success as Queen Elsa maybe Menzel will reprise her role?
Who would you like to see cast as Elphaba and Glinda?
Gavin Logan – Follow me on Twitter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F&feature=player_embedded&v=-j45pMw-oDk
Originally published December 2, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
