For quite a while now, Universal has been developing a movie version of the hit musical Wicked, although it’s been slightly stuck due to budget problems. However, following Alice In Wonderland, family fantasy is hot again, which seems to have given momentum to the project, particularly as numerous other studios has expressed interest in making films set in the wonderful world of Oz.
Deadline is now reporting that in order not to be left behind while everyone from Disney to Warner develop Oz flicks, Universal is on the lookout for a director for Wicked, and has taken meetings with or shown interest in the likes of JJ Abrams, James Mangold, Ryan Murphy, and Rob Marshall to helm wicked. It’s difficult to imagine Abrams taking the role, if only because he’s unlikely to be able to start filming it until 2012 at the earliest, due to his Super 8 project and Star Trek 2, but his midas touch certainly make his a sensible prospect. Marshall meanwhile is an unsurprising choice, due to his background as a choreographer and the fact he’s already helmed Chicago and Nine. Glee creator Ryan Murphy would seem sensible too, as while he hasn’t directed a movie, the success of his hit show proves he certainly knows how to handle a musical. Like Abrams, Mongold is a more left-field possibility, as he’s never really devled into fantasy or musicals before (unless you count Walk The Line), although the recent Knight & Day shows he’s heading in a more mainstream blockbuster direction.
As yet, no decision has been made, but it certainly sounds like the studio wants to get moving on Wicked, which tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and her relationship with Glinda the Good, and how the green-skinned one was picked on when she was young and eventually turned bad. The musical has been a phenomenon, grossing more than $2 billion around the world.
Following the success of Mamma Mia!, Universal has been eyeing several other musicals, such as bring Billy Elliot back from stage to screen and working on adapting In The Heights. Wicked probably has the most commercial potential, although there haven’t been many mega-budget fantasy musicals in recent years, which seems to have made the suits a bit nervous, something that may settle down if they can get a director onboard they’re confident about.