The Release Date For Universal’s ‘Wicked’ Adaptation Has Been Unveiled

58th Annual Tony Awards - Show
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Something Wicked this way comes. Universal’s upcoming cinematic adaptation of Stephen Schwartz’s blockbuster Broadway musical Wicked now has a release date and it’s one that offers up a lot of time for armchair casting.

December 20, 2019 is what the studio has announced as the arrival date for the film, which is either too far away or far too soon depending on your level of Wicked interest. The Hollywood Reporter notes that this spot on the calendar will put the motion picture in direct competition with a live action fairy tale film Disney has in the works. Mind you, Wicked was previously slated to arrive in 2016 so there’s a chance its release date could pinball to yet another time.

For those unfamiliar, Wicked (based off of a Gregory Maguire book) was a massive success on Broadway earning an impressive assortment of awards and remarkable ticket sales. It’s also the reason why you hear “Defying Gravity” whenever your theater friends tag along for karaoke. The musical looks at the tale of Oz from a different perspective and to clarify we’re talking about The Wizard of Oz and not the HBO prison drama Oz.

No one’s been cast as of yet, so we recommend not ringing up Lea Michele about this until the roles are determined. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Billy Elliot helmer Stephen Daldry is attached to direct with Wicked‘s writer Winnie Holzman and composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz on the project too. With its cinematic debut over three years away, there’s a fair bit of wriggle room to flesh out the rest.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

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