This is a little off topic, but I've heard several rumors that a movie is being planned. I've heard that it'll be based on the musical and that Idina and Kristin will be reprising their roles. Of course, I haven't seen any substantial proof of that. Anyone know?

[ Merged With Portions Of "If YOU could make the book into a film" Thread]

^ Rumours about a movie version have gone around for a long time now, and Idina and Kristin have been asked about it in interviews for things they were promoting (Idina's CD, "I Stand" and Kristin's show "Pushing Daisies"), and I THINK (please don't quote me on it - I could be wrong; I'd need to go check the interviews again) that they would like to be a part of it, but it'd probably be a long time before a movie would be in the works because the show is so successful right now.

I apologize if I'm wrong about that, though.

Usually, movies are made from Broadway shows when the show is no longer doing well. It's an attempt to make some more money. The movie RENT's flopping probably helped the show die, actually. Money was put into the movie that they didn't get back. (Not that it wasn't a great movie!)

If we want a Wicked movie, we have to stop going to see shows. Anyway, I'm sure it'll happen eventually.

Wasn't Wicked sort of a shakey success? The critics were split almost 50/50 between good and bad, and it took longer than they expected to make all the money back.

^ in the Grimmerie, it says that the musical "recouped its $14 million investment 14 months after opening. whereas it takes even successful shows two or three years to earn back their investment- and about 80 percent never do..."

anyways, i personally think that a musical movie would do better than a book movie. i think that more people know about the musical than the book, so there would be a larger group of people interested right off the bat. also, musical movies can appeal to all age groups, including children. on the other hand, the book is extremely serious and political, and while a lot of themes probably wouldn't be introduced or as emphasized in the movie as in the book, it is way too serious to catch the attention of most younger audiences. not to say that a book based movie wouldn't do well, but i think it would be wiser to base it off of the musical. if this had nothing to do with money though, i would like to see both versions made into a movie.

and i'm sorry...this didn't really have much to do with the topic.

Yes, but if written well, people shouldn't need to be distracted by bright lights and songs. I think the way musicals now always sound flawless, would somewhat take away from it for me. They would cast popular celebrities who lack the ability to sing really well, and the awe people feel while seeing number like "Defying Gravity" would kind of being taken away, and the set and atmosphere wouldn't feel as incredible, etc.

All my opinion, of course.

oh, no no, i totally and completely agree with you. no matter how many special effects they could add into the movie, i would never be as amazed as when i see the show live even with less special effects. seeing such special effects is so...i guess normal to us now. basically in every action or adventure movie, etc. it doesn't amaze us much anymore....at least it doesn't amaze me. but seeing things live leave me awestruck, even if it's as simple as lighting and a (cherry picker? is that what it's called?) to make elphaba look like she's flying. and special effects aside, the magic still wouldn't be there in a movie. i prefer live music to recordings, no matter how flawless they can make it sound. for the most part, recorded songs don't give me chills. live shows do. end of story xD

Gegory Maguire has confirmed that movie adaption of the musical Wicked will be made into a movie. However, it will happen for at least another four or five years. At least we got some news from the man who wrote the book.

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/newspol/celeb/ci...14530-1,00.html

all i have to say is, they better cast someone in it who's done it on stage.

They'll probably have Eden and Megan do it since they appeared on television so much due to the success of the Los Angeles company.

i wouldn't bet on that.

mmm i dont know not if its not going to be filmed for four or five years. they will need young blood, lol.

but dont get me wrong you know i'd love to see some OLAC on the big screen!

I was under the impression it would be an adaptation of the book, not the musical, but I could be mistaken.

...

from gregory in the linked interview:

"There will eventually be a film of Wicked! the musical but probably not for four or five years."

The cast will probably be like Zac Efron as Elphaba or whatever they do nowadays.

I sincerely doubt this claim. He definitely phrases it as a possibility, not that anything definite has been set out.

AHAHA I think I just peed a bit.

Or Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale as Glinda. Zac as Fiyero, Lucas as Boq etc etc.

This isn't new...Marc Platt and David Stone have said on numerous occasions that they plan on turning Wicked into a film.

I think there will be so many arguments about who to cast, I'd like someone new to do it. I think it'd be easier to judge the film as a film rather than on who plays Elphaba or Glinda if it's someone new.

i dont think the original poster meant it to be "new". they were just sharing information from an interview that maguire basically almost confirms that it will happen. that's all.

They need to make one based on the book. The musical has so much magic and if it were captured on film, it would probably just lose it's magic. Kinda like bootlegs...

He only says what we already knew.

We knew there would be a movie sometime.
He doesn't seem to know any details. I don't think it'd be as much up to him at all as up to the producers (like David Stone).
He just says "probably" not for the next four or five years.
I'd even guess 5-10 years.


I hope this doesn't cause more casting debate.

I'm against a Wicked the musical movie, but I think a book adaptation would be made of pure awesomeness. It would translate to the screen very well, I think.

I agree. I think a movie version of the musical would be a disaster.

I hope they go with Idina and Kristen. Nowhere in the musical does it say they're teenagers, they're just younger.

Crap, I hate learning about this stuff years in advance. Now all I can do is wait impatiently.

^Kristin.



And it's not like we need any more fangurrls. Defying Gravity would be the cheesiest thing ever.

I've often thought about how Defying Gravity could be done on film, and haven't thought of a way yet that wouldn't be stupid.

It happened to Hairspray, and now it will happen to Wicked.
I just loved when Hairspray was our little "best kept secret."

Then the movie was made and people randomly start singing the songs and stuff. Maybe its just me being weird. But I'd like to keep Wicked the Musical a Broadway Musical.
Not a movie musical.

well, they're just going to college, so they're 18, 19. then after the first act, about two years have gone by, i think someone said, so they're young, very early 20's.

Yeah, looked what happened to "The Wiz." I heard the musical was actually very good, but that was the worst movie I've ever seen since "From Justin to Kelly."

I'm personally looking forward to it. Even if it all ends up a disater i'll still have the musical to fall back on and erase the film from memory.
But then it could be brillo. I'm most excited to see about the sets that's the only thing i miss about the musical. Kiamo Ko... the great kells.. the vinkus. In my imagination it's amazing. It'd just be fabulous to see how they create that other worldly setting and atmosphere.

ZAC EFRON FOR FIYERO
or not AHAH!

A book adaptation would be phenomenal. In my opinion, having the musical as a movie would most definitely lose its spark. It won't be live, every note sung would be perfect and enhanced (is that the word to use?) by a studio. It was sound too perfect, and not as raw and passionate, most likely. I don't think the show is losing popularity, either, and it doesn't need more fangirls. Devoted, true, sane fans? Much better.

The book would be SO much better as a movie (not just my preference, I think looking at it outside of what I think) because it's so dark and political, and has so many themes that would leave people wondering more than they should be about life and politics, etc. nowadays. As long as they get some perfect actors thrown in there, I'd be thrilled.

^I agree with Dawn about not needing MORE fangirls. I mean, that's what happened with RENT. I know the musical got more hype after the movie, but I was a fan before the movie, and while it was good, it didn't have the same energy as the stage production, despite the AMAZING cast. The thing that irks me the most are these stupid fangirls.
Fangirl: ZOMGZZ I love Rent it was so sad when Angel died ROGER IS SO HOTTT!!!
Me: Yeah, so uhh what's his name?
Fangirl: Oh pshh I don't know.
Me: I thought so.

While I would love an adaptation of the book, I think now that there are so many fans of the musical, they wouldn't be able to do it. I will support a musical movie if they find a good way to do DG, and cast it right. No Vanessa Hudgens, please.

Although I think the let's-get-teens-in-here (no, I'm not attempting to insult anyone with that - hello, I'm a teenager, too.) casting is always feared, I think there's a bigger chance of it not happening with a book adaptation. The characters are more mature, the topics are more mature (therefore luring kids in would not be that great), etc.

Reason #5000 about why book!movie > musical!movie.

If they insist on making it a Musical!Movie then I want something like the Wetten Das video. I liked the style of that.

I also think a book adaption would be fantastic and would much prefer that to a musical movie, but there's no way that would happen. Also, about younger leads, did anyone see the movie Superstar? A movie about high schoolers with out an actor under 35...haha I don't think it would be too big of a deal to cast 30-ish leads. Agreed that it would loose the spark, unless it was flawlessly done, but I have yet to see a musical adaption that does justice. I really hope they use the OBC!

Yup.....


The OBC and other people who have been in the musical will have this reaction:


In all honesty, a movie musical would just ruin the magic of the stage version. I agree with what everyone said in here. We don't need extra crazy fangirls, the magic and soul of the show will be lost. It just won't work. And the casting will be horrible.Honestly,i for one, wouldnt want the OBC because people who haven't seen the musical would see the movie and be like "Why is Kristin playing a college girl?" although Kristin and Idina's name can bring in a lot of money.

If the musical MUST be made into a movie, then they MUST film it like they did with the german cast on Wetten Das, that was AMAZING! But they would add more effects.

I personally would want the book to be made into a movie. It would be MUCH more exciting and fresh and just amazing!

Fangirls really don't bother me. I hate it when people think they're "true" fans just because they liked the musical before the movie. They're being snobs. RENT is heavy in that. I'm just as true a fan even though I only came to like it after the movie.

It's also kind of selfish (maybe too strong a word) when people say they don't want Wicked to be a movie because it'll destroy the magic. Don't want to watch it, don't. It's the same when people complain about all the recent remakes Hollywood is making. Don't want to see them? Don't see them.


I don't mean to offend the anti-Wicked movie people! You have the right to think the movie would be a bad idea. But to not want the movie to be made at all is sort of selfish.

I think the new Rosemary's Baby remake will be dumb, so I won't go see it. But I'm not against it, I'm just indifferent.

In four or five years, mostly everyone who's done it onstage is going to be too old.

I vote Erin Mackey all the way lol.

I like From Justin To Kelly.

But yes, anyway, ever since reading the novel, I've always thought that it would be fantastic on screen, not just on stage. While musical movies are becoming very popular again, I just don't think Wicked would work. Hairspray? Yes. Mamma Mia? Yes. Aida? Yes. Wicked? No.

People said RENT wouldn't work too, I remember that.

I think the only problem would be doing Defying Gravity without making it stupid.

RENT didn't work. It was a decent movie, but did not in any way do the stage show justice. And I thought you said you didn't become a fan until after the movie...how did you hear people say the movie wouldn't work?

LMAOOOOOOOO!!!!!! i literally just laughed out SOOO loudly. lmao. because the funny thing is, i was thiking the same exact thing. LMAO. but more along hte lines of him as fiyero, and like someone else said...ashley tisdale as glinda, vanessa as elphaba..etc. UGGGGHH

i dont want any more fan girls!!! hairspray was MINE (well..and to other bway fans..lol) whenever someone says "link larkin" no one says "matthew morrison" anymore..they say OMGZZZZ ZAC EFRONN!!!! same with tracy..everyone thinks nikki..UHM..hellll-ohh! shannon durig anybody? LOL.

i was also thinking idina and kristin would be the best pick, but then i thoight about it...4-5 years they will be aged..alot. lol. i hope annaleigh or anyone like that doesnt go to the big screen as glinda/elphaba. that would take away their like..bway thunder. they are ours!!! (bway fans..lol) not some new fan girls..if u get what i mean. haha. i'd like to see someone NEW in the roles and then see @ the red carpet event all the bway/tour/etc elphies and glindas...lol

EW..and i could totes picture them casting like..miley cyrus or something as elphie..EW

If it is a version of the novel on screen, then I think they should use people who haven't been in the musical. Not like, Zac Efron or whoever, someone who can actually act. Like, Demi Moore for the older Elphaba would be awesome, IMO.

Are you all being serious when you say that you think Zac Efron would be in it?

I can't get over the stupidity of some people, honestly.

^I tihnk people are joking, Kate. (At least I hope so.)

Oh Emma. The sad thing is, I think they are being serious.

Ha yes, she'd still be like 25. And I do like Erin's Glinda. (and then maybe people would appreciate her more)

I agree, I'd much rather see a Wicked the novel movie.
But there is too much money to be had from a movie musical.
Sigh.
However, there would be positives. For one, it's an oppertunity to fix some flaws in the play. (Um...Something Bad)
It would only cause more problems, I know.

i said casting zac would basically just suck. but its very possible it COULD happen, unfortunatly.