One of the most-loved recent musicals is finally making its way to cinemas.
Since it first debuted in 2003, of all of the musicals out there in the world, it still feels odd that Wicked has yet to have been adapted for the big screen.
Putting a twist on the much-loved story of The Wizard of Oz, there have been some attempts, and a previous version was announced to be released in cinemas in December 2019. That version never came to be, and that release date was snatched by the big screen adaption of Cats, and we all remember how that turned out…
However, it turns out that it is finally – FINALLY! – getting the big screen treatment, with director Jon M. Chu behind the camera.
We recently caught up with Chu in the run-up to the release of his new movie, In The Heights, another musical based on a much-loved Broadway release.
You can check out our full interview with Jon M. Chu right here:
Over the course of the interview, we had to ask if there were any lessons, likenesses or big differences from his time making In The Heights to the challenge of making Wicked?
Chu told us the following:
“It is very, very different. Of course, Oz doesn’t exist, the Emerald City doesn’t exist, so I can’t just go there and lean into it. We have to create these things, but where I do see some similarities [to In The Heights] is the power of that is not that it is in Oz. The power is female friendship, that it is messy, that it is not a fairytale.
“And so I think that specific intimacy of a friendship, movies are made for. And I can’t believe that show has not been made into a movie or an animated movie or something, so what a great opportunity to finally crystallise it, so that everyone around the world can see it. I’m really excited by that. But it is a totally different challenge.”
In The Heights is released in Irish cinemas on Friday, 18 June, and we also chatted to the movie’s writer and producer Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as some of its stars, and you can check out all of those interviews right here.
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