As awards season heats up, Jon M. Chu has teased that Wicked: For Good is going to have a change of direction influenced by the first movie’s mᴀssive success. Adapted from the Broadway show of the same name, itself adapted from the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the fantasy musical explores the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the East respectively. The first Wicked has proven a success, grossing over $723 million, and being nominated for 10 Academy Awards.
Per ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Chu has revealed that the movie’s successful awards season run has inspired a change of direction for Wicked: For Good. The second of the two-part adaptation is currently in post-production, with the filmmaker noting that the response to the first film has led to him and his team adjusting “everything that we’re doing” from the smallest details to grand sequences, as they are trying to be “in the headspace” of said fans. See what Chu explained below:
It does affect when we went back into the cut, like, “Oh, wait, they’re really paying attention to every detail,” and how we plan on paying certain things off. Maybe we can be more subtle with that, or maybe we don’t have to remind them of so much. It absolutely affects everything that we’re doing. I didn’t think it would, but actually getting into the cut, I feel like I’m more in the headspace of where the fans are, whereas before, we had to cover our bases a little bit more for everybody.
What These Comments Mean For Wicked Part 2
The Movie Could Outperform The Original
One of the defining features of the Wicked movie adaptation was that it would be split in half, which was a divisive decision for fans, as many felt there would be too much padding that would detract from the story and characters. However, the fact that Chu and his team have decided to put their own spin on the story would suggest that there are elements of the sequel that will not have featured in the original play, and this could provide a fresh experience.
As is the case with all art, it is important for filmmakers like Chu to make the movie they want to make, and not worry about trying to please everybody, especially when basing their work on an existing IP.
Chu’s comments also suggest that the movie might be made with awards ceremonies in mind, and the creative force behind Wicked: For Good are making decisions they think will give the movie the best chance of scooping some Oscars, as well as a few other awards. How much the finished article will differ from the cut that has already been made remains to be seen, but it is definite that some big changes are set to happen. Making changes to a movie in order to play to what awards bodies are looking for is a risky movie, and one that could backfire.
Our Take On Wicked 2‘s Changes
The Move Might Have The Opposite Result To What Chu Is Intending
It is a bold move by Chu to make changes to the direction of the movie based on this, and could also wind up moving away from the actual vision that a lot of fans have in their mind. As is the case with all art, it is important for filmmakers like Chu to make the movie they want to make, and not worry about trying to please everybody, especially when basing their work on an existing IP.
If Wicked: For Good can manage this, then the adaptation will go down as one of the best-received in modern times, but there is still time to get it wrong, and the editing of this cut is going to be integral to the movie’s legacy.
Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline
