Seriously, guys. Do you honestly think the Wicked producers would do that? And as Elphaba? Please.

EMMA! I told you!


You seriously think he's going to be cast as Elphaba? When, exactly? When he gets his sex change?!

I'm both overexcited and scared for this. I also can't find a way for doing Defying Gravity and not making it look stupid.

And for all the people that said/implied that the RENT fans who only liked it after the movie aren't true fans or something...you're just as able to be a true fan and not know about the show since it opened. I started liking Wicked in July of last year, and I DEFINITELY consider myself a true fan. Just my two cents.

obviously not as elphaba

Not just as Elphaba, but in general. I don't think they would do that. I don't think Gregory MaGuire would allow that.

oh, true.

It would only work with people who have been in the roles or unknown names.

Just as an example but if they took Zac Efron and used him as Fiyero I'd never believe it... I'd think of HSM wayyyyy too much.

Or any other well-known actor/actress.

all i can say is.

i hope for everyone's sake, including his, that it's better than the confessions movie. i didn't like it.

I agree rent didn't work. But part of that, I think anyway, is because rent is essentially an "opera", and the movie wasn't, so the songs were kind of random and didn't really fit. Thats a lot of what I heard from people that weren't familiar with the show prior to seeing the movie. So I do think that wicked would work in that regard, at least I hope so! I'd have to see the movie before making judgments about it...I just hope it's done well!

and for people who say it would have to be unknowns, i dont think this is true. I think if theyre going to do someone that has done it on the stage, it better be idina and kristin. Not to keep harping on rent, but I think thats part of the reason the rent movie was worth seeing; to see the OBC's (well, almost) performance

The only problem with most of the cast is they won't be believable college students......

I think 99% of Wicked's magic is that it IS live, that the effects ARE live and Defying Gravity wouldn't work without looking stupid on screen. And green make-up? And the costumes? The sets? They work because they're on a stage, and everything that happens actually happens, and isn't done by stunt-people and voice dubbing and everything else.

A book!movie though could work, because that is a slightly different world to the musical.

If the movie is closer to the book, I think that would be interesting. I'm afraid it would turn people off of the musical though, because I'd imagine it would be much darker. But I'd rather see it closer to the book. The magic of Wicked, IMO, is seeing it onstage. But that's just me.

i would like a novel!movie too. but like i said. as long as it's not as terrible as the confessions movie. trying to cram important events of quite a long novel into an hour and a half, and mixing it with pretty... crap acting on some parts, it just doesn't work. it needs to be done cleverly, to be sure. but how do you capture the magic of the novel without making it as long as the lord of the rings movies/gone with the wind? not easily.

i wouldn't mind if it was that long though. as long as it was done well.

It should be like Harry Potter style you know the picture and colors!!!

or if anyone wonders how they should do Defy Gravity they should do it like this but in a different way not like star wars lol in the beginning!

I know, that is why my hopes of Kristin & Idina are doing it are zilch

Edit: Bumped.

Lol, tell that to the Wizard of Oz!

I mean, I totally agree that this has the potential to go badly, but then I start to think about it as a big cycle...a book inspired a movie, which inspired another book, which inspired a Broadway musical, which could inspire a movie. If the stories from Oz have made it through this many translations and all are still loved, I think it has a chance! The green make-up has worked on film before, I'd like to see it happen again

If Wicked will be a film it has to be a big blockbuster. The green make up and the sets work, because The Wizard Of Oz is a movie made for CHILDREN and it's a movie from the 30s/40s. I think Defying Gravity is impossible to not look strange on film, maybe Schwartz will rewrite the lyrics for the film version. I agree Wicked should be a book-movie thing not a musical-movie.

^I think I have to respectfully disagree, I don't think the Wizard of Oz is a movie made for CHILDREN. I know people who never saw the Wizard of Oz until they were adults and absolutely loved it. And even when the movie first came out in the 30s it was extremely popular for those of all ages, even being nominated for Best Picture if I'm not mistaken.

I completely agree that certain aspects of Wicked will be hard to translate into a movie, and I have trouble picturing certain things (especially Defying Gravity), but I think it's premature to say it's "impossible"....

Yep it was nominated but lost to Gone With The Wind.
The only thing I think that would be particularly difficult is to find a way to do DG. Part of the reason it is so incredible is the fact that it is on STAGE, if that makes any sense. But I think that they could some pretty amazing things with The Emerald City, and Kiamo Ko and the Vinkus. I think it could work really well if its done right. But thats the case with any movie/musical. You have to have someone who is familiar with Broadway doing the directing.

if they make a musical version, or a novel version, i'm sure they'd use different people to play the different ages.

omg. ahhahaha. who made that??? its really cool

I've come over all excited now. Just about the sets hah hah! And the incredible-ness of the world. How pathetic am i?
Anywho... this would be my ideal setting for Kiamo Ko. It looks incredible...

I laughed...SO hard at that. But I am really partial to the idea of her actually flying away at the end of DG, with Glinda sorta watching her. Like 9:27, she's watching her fly away.

Hahah I liked it! Besides the last noteof course. The little girl was cute!

Isn't that the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang castle in Germany?
I think the back drop would work but the castle would need to be older and more run down *nods*

My face at the end note:

I loved the end thingy with Morrible haha that was so funny!

How cute. Except of course the movie would need people who can actually sing.

I don't think its going to work.
They are going to cast some up and coming singers/actresses that please the young kids (i.e. Ashley Tisdale) GAG.
Defying Gravity is going to lose all of its amazing-ness. It is just going to look cheesy!
They are going to cut things and condense it, and like with Rent, it is going to be a shallow representation of the heart of this musical.

^ I know we are all saying "Ugh please not Ashley Tisdale" but in a seriousness, I highly doubt the people who cast the movie would do that.

Yeah, I think if they went down the money casting route, they'd cast overrated actors, but I highly doubt that Zac Efron would be casted in the movie, especially if it's based on the novel. It requires phenomenal actors, and I think people are smart enough to know they'd get backlash from fans if they did that. And wouldn't Gregory Maguire have a hand in that? I think he's the type of person that would want to participate to make sure something based on his work is done well.

If Wicked is made into a movie, then the producers of Wicked would probably have something to do with the casting. And I think they're smart enough not to cast Ashley Tisdale and Zac Efron. Also, if it's a movie based on the book, then I highly doubt they'll have any of those people, because as people who have read the book know, it's less...kid-friendly, I guess? And if they cast all these people, then kids will want to see it, and if it's a bookverse movie, that would be a bad idea.

I think they wouldn't use different actors for the different ages. The age gap is really only a few years, so with costuming and makeup, you can age Nd make people younger. Also, if different actors were used, they'd sound different, carry themselves differently and it would lose the believability.

As far as actors, Kristin and Idina are out. Schwartz said so last summer because that they're too old. I know people would love have them but it wouldn't look believable at all.

I wasn't saying they would cast Ashley Tisdale, but I am saying I think they would go with someone down that route, so that little children would come see the movie.

of course the book is less kid friendly. elphaba eats like...people.. lmao. and has vicious teeth as a baby. hahah!
(well, from reading the first few chapters that is what i gathered)...im not one for finishing books, even on as amazning as wicked lol

if they cast ashley tisdale. the whole movie is going to go downhill. i would rather they didn't cast anyone from hollywood. i would rather they cast the show's actors. like katie clarke as glinda or something. she's young enough.

Not if they stick to how the book was written and not so much the musical. They'd have to make it blatantly obvious that it's not meant to be for children.



As much as I would hope they wouldn't cast from Hollywood, I think that's the way they'll do it.

And the character of Glinda (and all the others...) are very different from the musical. In both (book and musical) they have to cast people with amazing acting ability, otherwise, there will be a problem.

The only way they would cast someone who would appeal to children if they were making a novel version of the movie is if they completely ripped it to shreds. It's definitely not appropriate.

And I think they're wise enough to know what a huge fanbase the novel/Gregory Maguire has. The fans would be annoyed.

Bah. I just realized I never finished this. Oh well.


Wicked was a huge success. It did not take "longer than expected" to pay back the investment. It took a very short time, relatively speaking. It was not a critics' darling. That part was mixed. But money-wise, it is the most successful show...you could argue...ever. Of course, all the records (in Broadway, London, Chicago, LA, and on tour) were broken with inflation and ridiculous ticket prices.

As much as I like Kristin and Idina, they will be too old by then. Kristin will be like 44 or 45 and Idina will be like 41 or 42. Keep in mind that Elphaba and Glinda are in their college years. Eden and Megan will be able to pass for college students but even they will be pushing it 5 years from now. Hopefully, they will use some of the Wicked Alumni and let the make-up artist go to work...LOL.

As far as the live performance transferring over to the big screen, it's really not about that. It's about the story. The story and the meaning behind it is what drives people to keep coming back. It's the story and the underlying meaning that touches people. True there's nothing quite like watching a live musical. However, tell me you didn't like watching Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, Cabaret, Hair, West Side Story, Chicago, etc. on the big screen or on TV. So I'm pretty sure they're going to do their best in making this movie captures the emotion, passion, and meaning of the story.

Sam

The story is what matters most - and you are right about that - but Wicked has a much bigger set than the ones mentioned. The numbers are more elaborate, etc. It would be hard to pull off without losing the magic that undoubtedly pulled them to consider adapting the musical to a movie. So, this is why I think the book would be better.

I would be incredibly surprised if they used different actors for different ages. Makeup can do wonders. The only time I think that's really necessary is if it jumps from like, age 10-13 to like 20, or if it goes from like age 30 to 65 or something. It's usually not a problem to go a few years ahead.

I actually wouldn't mind a movie as long as it was a book adaptation, even though I obviously prefer the musical. If it was the book version, the songs couldn't be ruined, AND I could audition without having to worry about voice

That's so awesome! I can hardly wait. I hope they don't select actresses who have never played the role, that would piss me off.

Julie

I would have them record the entire movie like a Harry Potter type with lots of special effects. Also, record certain musical parts but don't release them with the movie on the nig screen. Just add them to an extra DVD as bonus feature for the true fans.

As fans of the musical, we are obviously biased in wanting people who have performed the roles on stage in the movie. But there are slim chances of that happening, I think.

I agree, they'll probably have a couple of cameo appearances though.

You really can't say for sure though about not having former cast members. (though I agree, OBC is out of the question)
But we have Annaleigh and Katie C and Erin and Christina and a crop of very young Glindas who are not too old and will not be too old for many years.


Look at the RENT movie.

Okay, bad example. That really wasn't a good idea.

I think i'm in the minority when i say that i actually enjoyed the RENT movie

no, if the musical was ripped to shreds. i dont think kids exactly can hadle all the politics from the book. think about NO GOOD DEED. those girls will freak out (in a "omgahhh this isnt hsm1, 2, or 3! way)