WICKED Movie Update - Producer Marc Platt Shares Update on the Film's Development

Back in October, Stephen Schwartz shared an update on the long awaited WICKED film, noting that negotiations are currently under way (with BILLY ELLIOT's Stephen Daldry as director) and adding that discussions were on-going regarding what they can do in the film that could not be done on stage. Daldry later confirmed that talks were undergoing, in an interview with BroadwayWorld.com.

Today, while discussing the INTO THE WOODS film of which he is also a producer, Marc Platt shared the latest on the green witches with ComingSoon.net, noting that:

"The movie of Wicked is still a number of years down the line," he told us. "We've just started its development, because the show's still so strong with eight or nine companies around the world. That's coming in the future. That's why I haven't been in a hurry, because it works so well on stage and audiences are enjoying it. It's not a timely story, it's a timeless story, so I've been very sanguine to let folks explore it theatrically and when we're ready we'll make a movie."

Currently the 11th longest-running musical in Broadway history, the international blockbuster WICKED celebrated its 11th Anniversary on Thursday, October 30th. WICKED currently has eight productions around the world, in New York, London, Japan (Tokyo), Australia (Sydney), Latin America (Mexico City), a U.K. Tour (Edinburgh), and two concurrent North American National Tours.

WICKED has been declared "A Cultural Phenomenon" by Variety and "The Best Musical of the Decade" by Entertainment Weekly. The musical is currently represented in North America with two concurrent national tours as well as the open-ended Broadway production. In its 11-year history, the musical has also enjoyed extended, record-breaking sit-down engagements in Chicago, where it ran for 3 ½ years and Los Angeles/San Francisco, where it ran for 3 ½ years.

Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and a book by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. WICKED is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Winner of over 100 international awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.