There has been talk of a film based on Gregory Maguire’s Wizard Of Oz-tweaking novel Wicked for years now. In fact, Universal was considering making a movie before the stage show became a massive hit. Having left some time to let the theatrical production roll on around the world, the studio seemed set to put the film back into a couple of years ago, with Stephen Daldry loosely attached to direct. Now, producer Marc Platt has addressed the possibility that it’ll arrive in cinemas next year.
The speculation arrived when the Vue Cinema chain listed the film as a 2016 release. But Platt, talking to Film Divider, is cagier. “It’s not set in stone. The process of developing that movie has begun, we’re working on it, and whether it makes 2016 or not, I’m not so sure. It’s a loose goal. But the bar is very high for the creators of Wicked. Our show is still so strong everywhere, and we just set a record in both London and Edinburgh last week, and in Los Angeles, and we did on Broadway. Audiences enjoy that show so much that we are intending to move forward on the movie but aren’t going to do so until we’re satisfied in the material we have as a screenplay, and that the film will be every bit as satisfying as what we have on the stage.”
There’s also the small matter that the film would require a fair amount of effects work to bring the story of young witches Elphaba and Glinda in Oz to life as they deal with clashing love lives and political views. The show’s book writer Winnie Holzman is on script duty and Daldry remains attached. But Platt and co. want to wait until it’s truly in shape. “We’re going to scrutinise our work on the screenplay and our prep on the movie, and when we feel like it’s ready, okay. We’re not going to shoot a release date is what I’m saying. It’s in the works, it’s not in a rush.”
Wicked will be out… When it’s good and ready, apparently.