Theatre News

Wicked movie relocates to the UK and reschedules production

Welcome to the UK, ”Wicked”!

The Wicked company with Sophie Evans in the bubble
The Wicked West End company with Sophie Evans in the bubble
© Mark Senior

The Wicked movie seems to have hit a(nother) small speed-bump, but one that might mean exciting things for UK audiences and creatives.

We've been talking about it (to use a number from the movie's producer Marc Platt's other show Dear Evan Hansen) "For Forever", but it seems as though the Wicked silver-screen adaptation is still in the midst of pre-production, with In the Heights director Jon M Chu at the helm.

The Hollywood Reporter has now said that Wicked will be the first production to shoot on stages at Universal's recently built Sky Studios in Elstree (in Hertfordshire), with a planned commencement date in June 2022 (pushed back from March). So expect the moving, well, around 2023, if we were gambling people.

What's more, Universal Studios (responsible for Cats, Hansen, Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables) sees Wicked as a "four-quadrant film", which means it is one that appeals to demographics both male and female, and both over- and under-25s. The film had previously been set to film in Atlanta, Georgia, but this seems to have fallen through.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, the show is based on Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and was adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman. Musical staging is by Wayne Cilento and direction by Joe Mantello.

It continues to play in the West End, so given the delays to the movie, you could watch it there now. Tickets are on sale below.

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