Universal's WICKED Films - News & Discussion Thread- Page 2

[briankershawjr]

Posted: 5/5/21 at 6:42pm

I put this in the other forums that Stephen Schwartz was interviewed in Atlanta recently and he mentioned that they will begin filming in the fall, in the city of Atlanta. He also mentioned that production will go into 2022. 

Hollywood has used different names for films they do not want people to know about..Yes they have said Wicked to the public but they could be using " Western Sky" to cover it up where they are filming in Atlanta. Who knows...only they production team knows...If I would guess we might hear something in the summer who is cast in the movie musical. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/5/21 at 6:42pm

TotallyEffed said: "Gaga is the only one who could do it right."

Um. No. 

[Tag]

Posted: 5/5/21 at 8:01pm

"Working title" in film and tv can also refer to the name which is used to keep the project under-wraps or off the radar.  You see this all the time on set while filming on location, so that the public doesn't catch on to what is actually filming.  It's very plausible that Wicked's working title is Western Sky.  But yes, the film will obviously be released as Wicked.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/5/21 at 8:09pm

Western Sky makes sense as the working title since it’s referencing to Look To The Western Sky

Updated On: 5/5/21 at 08:09 PM

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 5/5/21 at 8:59pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Call_me_jorge said: "Never gonna happen, but I’d like to throw Ciara Renees name out into the ring. If not the film, I’d love for her to be the elphaba when wicked on Broadway eventually reopens."

Oy! Met her at a recent dinner gathering. Girl needs to keep her trap shut. One bitter exhausting energy, let it be known. So disappointing on many levels. "

What were the two of you doing at a dinner gathering in the middle of the panic at the disco?

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 5/5/21 at 11:35pm

"Only original projects have “working titles”. Major projects use the intended title from pre-production on. It has always been this way. Even 1939’s GONE WITH THE WIND was using this on their pre-production notes as it was already a known project from the get-go. Universal has been using the WICKED on every announcement press release for the film adaptation. Not now, not later will they ever be using WESTERN SKIES."

Again....not true. Working titles DOES NOT MEAN it is in consideration for the title....its for permit reasons, but THANK GOD CARLOS DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 1:20pm

"Western Sky" is a cute and slightly clever working title, I don't see what the big deal is.

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 1:23pm

^ Neither do I

[NameGreg]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 1:24pm

Regardless of whether Western Sky is the working title or not, who cares? It’s a hypothetical working title, it’ll be long forgotten. The movie’s obviously gonna be called Wicked.

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 1:28pm

I still feel that casting a woman of color as Elphaba is absolutely necessary for telling this story on screen. I also feel that you need two women to headline this project who are both equally exciting choices/while also both being somewhat highly regarded in the film industry. I don’t think it makes sense to cast only one role out of the two as an unknown, nor do I think it makes sense to cast both of them as relative unknowns. I only see this film working to its fullest potential if you get two actresses like Amanda Seyfried and Cynthia Erivo who will breathe new life into the material while also having a lot of experience and recent notoriety to have the respect of both fans of the show and newcomers to the story. The idea of Two Oscar nominated actresses leading a film adaptation of Wicked is something that I find to be pretty thrilling.

[NameGreg]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 2:06pm

Elphaba’s skin color doesn’t matter, the actress is covered in green. Sure a minority can use their experiences of prejudice in the role, but the bigotry expressed towards her and her feelings on the matter comes through regardless of the actress’ race. Similarly you don’t need a name, the property is already extremely famous. In fact, based in John M. Chi’s casting for In the Heights, I’m not sure if he’d even want a big name. And Cynthia Erivo has been Oscar nominated, but she hasn’t caught on with mainstream film audiences yet, so I don’t think she even fits that big name criteria.

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 2:16pm

100% agree with everything you stated...However, it’s an issue that in almost 20 years we’ve never had a full time Elphaba of color in the show. This is a chance to somewhat rectify that on a HUGE scale. I still don’t think you can cast an unknown for Elphaba unless Glinda is also unknown. The show is so much of a two person story. Constantly switching back and forth between perspectives that I don’t think you can have a megga star in one role and an unknown in the counterpart. Unlike Hairspray where they used an unknown for Tracy. Tracy is the captain of the ship in that show. The show is through her perspective. Wicked is the story of two women. Two roles that are equal in stage time.

[NameGreg]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 2:19pm

Personally I think a famous Glinda and a smaller name Elphaba would work fairly well given it would reflect their initial dynamics as the popular and unpopular girl.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 2:30pm

BwayLB said: "I want Ariana Debose for Elphaba! Been wanting this movie since 2007"

I was in middle school when rumors of a film adaptation was starting back in 2004-5.

 

[Globefan]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:13pm

I hope Jon Chu is having input on the script 

[BwayLB]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:30pm

^^ Coincidence I was about to finish 7th grade when I saw the show at the Pantages.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:33pm

NameGreg said: "Elphaba’s skin color doesn’t matter, the actress is covered in green. Sure a minority can use their experiences of prejudice in the role, but the bigotry expressed towards her and her feelings on the matter comes through regardless of the actress’ race. Similarly you don’t need a name, the property is already extremely famous. In fact, based in John M. Chi’s casting for In the Heights, I’m not sure if he’d even want a big name. And Cynthia Erivo has been Oscar nominated, but she hasn’t caught on with mainstream film audiences yet, so I don’t think she even fits that big name criteria."

Well, now I want to see a production where a BIPOC actress plays the role without the green makeup, a la Violet. Maybe we’d all feel differently about whether people’s treatment of Elphaba is a direct relationship with the color of her skin, as it is in the text.

[NameGreg]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:38pm

I don’t see that working. Wicked isn’t the kind of show where you can go minimalistic, it’s all very big. And with Violet, the lack of makeup lets you imagine how she looks yourself. But with Wicked, even if you don’t somehow don’t know what the Wicked Witch is supposed to look like, her green skin is explicitly commented on.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 3:48pm

Right, we’re agreeing that it is a character who is judged based on her skin color. There are many parallels and I think it would be way more effective for a woman of color to play the role. This is what women of color deal with every day.

I think any show can be minimalistic and successful with the right director. For example, children’s theatre is so fantastical, imaginative, and minimalistic; we don’t give it enough credit.

[NameGreg]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 4:40pm

This is a show based around spectacle though. Any show where the big moment is someone flying shouldn’t be done in a minimalistic setting.

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 4:43pm

I disagree, but that’s okay too.

[Musical Master]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 5:05pm

NameGreg said: "This is a show based around spectacle though. Any show where the big moment is someone flying shouldn’t be done in a minimalistic setting."

I agree, it's Oz for goodness sakes! Minimalism would never work in a world where it was built from the beginning as a big fantastical place full of wonder and magical creatures.

Updated On: 5/6/21 at 05:05 PM

[rkade21]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 8:22pm

Emmy Raver
Ciara Renee
Cynthia
Eva (but she said not interested)


I have a hard time imagining anyone but those 3 for Elphie, though know Ariana DeBose mostly for dancing, will have to find some good vocal videos.

If anyone hasn’t seen the bootlegs clips of Emmy as Elphaba, you best rush to youtube!

Updated On: 5/6/21 at 08:22 PM

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 11:40pm

Eva isn’t interested?

[starlightlocamotion]

Posted: 5/6/21 at 11:40pm

Eva isn’t interested?