Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights director Jon M. Chu has posted an update regarding the upcoming – and long-awaited – Wicked movie. He revealed that they were having to cut too many songs and characters while prepping the musical, so have decided to make two movies instead. And he also shared that the movies would be coming on “successive Christmas holidays beginning December 2024.”
This feels like an awfully long time to wait, but given that Wicked fans have been waiting for a movie pretty much since its first run in 2003, we are at least in the final stretch now. After being in development since 2010, the much-speculated casting of Glinda and Elphaba was finally put to rest in November 2021, with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo landing the coveted starring roles.
The director of seminal classic Step Up 2: The Streets said that; “Cynthia, Ariana and I – and all of the cast and crew – pledge to create nothing less than an experience that honours its foundation for all the fans who’ve waited for this movie.”
The Wizard of Oz prequel, which focuses on the backstory of the Wicked Witch, is still going strong on both Broadway and the West End, after a pandemic-related hiatus. Wicked has broken many box-office records and in 2013, became the first musical to earn $3 million in one week.
You can read Jon M. Chu’s full statement via his Twitter post below;
Special #Wicked Movie Announcement… ✌🏼🎬🧹🌸💚sent from my OzPhone: pic.twitter.com/4qPpvVD4rR
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) April 26, 2022
If you are a lover of the theatre, and especially shows involving jazz hands, check out our guide the best musicals.