Entertainment - Media News Watch originally published at Entertainment - Media News Watch
Wicked: Part One production halted because of the strike, but director Jon M. Chu says it won’t delay the film’s release in theaters.
Wicked director Jon M. Chu has some encouraging news for Wicked fans. The celebrated filmmaker says that despite the ongoing Writers Guild of America/SAG-AFTRA strike, the first part of fantasy classic’s film adaption will be released on time. Chu commented on the status of the film via Twitter. He said that Wicked Part One production had been days away from completion when the strike halted activities. Chu is confident that the movie will resume once better working conditions are established for writers and actors. The team has plenty of time to complete the highly anticipated project. “Just paused till the strike is over and can finish the final pieces of the film. We were just a few days from being finished so we were SO CLOSE. It was painful to stop, but we’ll be back! We will finish strong when the time comes. I feel for our cast and crew, who fell short of the goals we set out to achieve together. In the meantime, I’m excited about excavating what we’ve shot in Oz for the last year (release date should not be affected). It’s been a remarkable adventure… there’s more to do. “
“Not finished yet. We just paused to wait until the strike was over and we could finish the final pieces of the film. We were just a few days from being finished so we were SO CLOSE. We will be back. It was painful to stop but we will. And we will finish properly strong when the…— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) Universal has been working on a #WickedMovieWicked
film adaptation since 2004. Stephen Daldry had been attached to direct the film but left due to scheduling issues. The original release date for the movie was December 22, 2021. But fate had other plans. In addition to Covid casting a production hex, Chu went back and forth about dividing the story into two captivating presentations.
The three-time Tony Award-winning stage musical was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel by writer Winnie Holzman and composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz, who collaborated on the adaptation of the screenplay. The story explains the transformation of a green-skinned witch who was framed by the Wizard of Oz into the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire’s yarn is the ultimate fairy tale origin story and could have you rooting for the villain by the time it’s all over.July 19, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgKyqH5w3LQWhile Chu intends to honor the source material, he plans to bring more depth to the characters during the two-film production. Cynthia Erivo is set to star as Elphaba the Wicked Witch, while Ariana Grande will play Glinda the Good Witch. Michelle Yeoh is Madame Morrible. She is the headmistress at Crage Hall, an institution for higher education located in Shiz, a northern province of Oz. Jeff Goldblum is The Wizard of Oz. Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero. Keala Settle is Miss Coddle. Bowen Yang is Pfannee. Bronwyn James, ShenShen. Ethan Slater, Boq. Colin Michael Carmichael, Nikidik. Wicked: Part One
casts a spell in cinemas on
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Entertainment - Media News Watch originally published at Entertainment - Media News Watch
