Photo: getty images; IMDB
Jon M. Chuis headed to Oz!
The director confirmed he is set to direct the upcoming movie adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musicalWicked.
Chu, 41, has previously directed 2018’sCrazy Rich Asians,Step Up 2: The Streets,and the upcoming movie version ofIn the Heights, to be simultaneously released later this year in theaters and on HBO Max on June 18.
“Most of my life I have felt out of place, weird and different,” Chu wrote in a statement on Twitter. “I hid behind my camera because people liked to be filmed and I could disappear. I used my short films to wow people so I could feel valued. I felt GREEN in all the ways.”
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“Thank you Mark Platt, Stephen, Winnie and Universal Pictures for trusting in me to translate this incredible story for all the fans and future fans of Elphaba and Glinda. I will protect this vigorously and hopefully bring a few new surprises along the way.”
He teased, “So… who wants to be Elphaba and Glinda?”
Chu also tweeted out the lyrics to “Defying Gravity” writing, ““Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep It’s time to trust my instincts Close my eyes and leap…"#WickedMovie@UniversalPics#StephenSchwartz#WinnieHolzman#MarcPlattit’s time. So… Twitterverse, who should we cast?”
The musical film wasinitially set for releaseon December 22, 2021, but it was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Wickeddebuted on Broadway in October 2003 with Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth and Joel Grey as the original cast members playing Elphaba, Glinda and the Wizard, respectively.
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While attending magic school, Elphaba befriends Galinda (who later changes her name to Glinda the Good Witch) only to fall from grace after she discovers the truth behind the Wizard of Oz.
The original Broadway production won three Tony Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards, as well as a Grammy Award.
source: people.com
