Jon M Chu tapped in direct Universal’s big-screen adaptation of the hit musical 'Wicked'

In the Heights film director Jon M Chu is set to helm the film version of the smash-hit Broadway musical Wicked. The musical was initially supposed to be directed by Billy Elliot’s director Stephen Daldry who bailed on the project due to scheduling conflicts. Universal’s Wicked is a feature-film adaptation of the record-breaking musical phenomenon which is in its 17th smash-hit year on Broadway. Jon M Chu directing the Wicked is an accident of good timing. Read ahead to know more-

Also Read: 'GI Joe Retaliation' Cast: A Look At Dwayne Johnson As Roadblock & Other Actors In Film

According to Deadline, Stephen Daldry left the project as the director for Wicked after the studio wanted to fast-track the long-awaited adaption. Around the same time, Chu had to part ways with Disney+’s new Willow series which he was planning to direct but due to continued lockdowns in the UK, the production kept delaying. On top of it, Chu is expecting a baby and the prolonged production schedule for Willow was not working for him. With Chu’s schedule open and Wicked looking for a director the timing worked out well from both sides.

Wicked Musical

Wicked Musical is based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire called Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. A prequel to The Wizard of Oz, Wicked tells the story of everything that happened before Dorothy dropped down in Oz. The stage musical has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world including countries U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, and many more. With a national tour and multiple international productions, it has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide. The stage musical has won more than 100 awards including Grammy and three Tony awards making it one of the most successful theatrical ventures of all time. The film version will be produced by Universal Stage Productions, Marc Platt, the Araca Group, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone.

Also Read: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Cast Featured Constance Wu & Henry Golding As Lead Couple

Jon M Chu's movies

Jon M Chu is no stranger to directing musicals and movies with musical elements. He recently directed Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights, based on the 2007 stage musical of the same name by Quiara Alegria Hudes, which is likely to release in theaters and HBO Max in June this year. He also directed the musical Jem and Holograms in 2015. Chu directed the box office smash Crazy Rich Asians for Warner Bros. He has also been director of films with musical elements like Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D.

Image Source Jon M Chu's Instagram

Also read: 'Now You See Me 3' In The Pipeline | All You Need To Know About The Heist Thriller

Also Read: Henry Golding And Wife Liv Lo To Embrace Parenthood In 2021; Liv Lo Flaunts Baby Bump