It may not be the end of the (yellow brick) road for Oz just yet. Following the record-breaking opening haul of Wicked: For Good, Universal Pictures is ready to tell more stories set in the fantasy world and keep up its magic touch.
Speaking to Vulture, studio chief Michael Moses shared that “things” are “underway” to expand the franchise, although concrete plans remain in the works for now.
“Because of Wicked’s success but also the fanship, we have almost a responsibility to figure out how we can continue in this universe,” he said. “Have we figured it out yet? No. But there are things underway.”
The executive’s comment comes after Steven Schwartz, writer and composer of the songs for the Broadway musical, revealed to The Ankler that he’s fleshing out a new Wicked project idea based on a discussion with the musical’s book writer, Winnie Holzman.
“I think the Glinda and Elphaba story feels complete — but there are other aspects that could be explored,” explained Schwartz. “Gregory Maguire, the original Wicked novelist, has several books, for example. But there’s another idea that Winnie and I are discussing: not a sequel, but an adjunct. Let me put it that way.”
It’s unclear whether Universal’s plans include venturing beyond the film format into, say, a TV series, but there will be no shortage of story inspiration to tap into. Maguire’s 1995 novel titled ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’, which the musical is based on, has spawned eight sequels to date, with the latest written work being an Elphaba-focused prequel story.
Naturally, the return of Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda in any future instalments is also up in the air. The leading duo, who have driven both Wicked movies to box office highs, are joined by returning stars Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) as Fiyero Tigelaar, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park franchise) as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the sequel.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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