Jon M. Chu is about to be dancing through life, as he’s set to direct the “Wicked” film adaptation for Universal. Last fall, Stephen Daldry stepped down as director. After months of uncertainty, Universal has decided on Chu to take the lead.
Coming off the huge success of “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018, Chu has been a highly sought-after director. He was also tapped to direct another musical adaptation, namely Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.” Because of the pandemic, “In the Heights” now joins Warner Bros’ slate of movies to be released simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters.
After receiving middling reviews when it opened on Broadway in 2003, “Wicked” became one of its most popular shows. Well, pop-you-lar. The musical has attracted a devoted fan base as it spread through television and music. Colorful costumes, intricate technical elements, and—oh boy—the belting, “Wicked” is everything Broadway wants to be.
The winner of three Tony awards and an audience of over 60 million, “Wicked” has always been an obvious choice for a movie adaptation. The DNA of the show is already programmed into Hollywood, where the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” stands tall and the movie musical has been a staple since the golden age. But after numerous delays and almost a decade of planning, it seems the movie is back on track.
In fact, the movie was supposed to come out in 2019, but due to production delays, it was bumped in favor of “Cats.” I sincerely apologize if reminding you “Cats” was ever a thing causes you to have nightmares again. If we stay strong, we can forget about that monstrosity together.
As of yet, there is no announcement on when we might see Wicked hit the big screens. Nor do we know whether or not any of the original cast will return. To keep you occupied while you wait, check out this terrific trailer for “In the Heights” coming later this year.
