As a lifelong devotee to both cinema and musical theater, I can’t help but feel a tinge of wistful curiosity about Stephen Daldry’s abandoned vision for “Wicked.” Having spent countless hours immersed in both worlds, I find myself often musing on the “what ifs” that sometimes shape the landscape of our favorite stories.
As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the big-screen adaptation of “Wicked” for what feels like an eternity. This beloved musical made its grand debut on Broadway in October 2003, and now, after over a decade of waiting, we finally get to witness it in a feature film in November 2024. Directed by Jon M. Chu, this long-awaited project has gone through a complex development process that saw numerous creative teams come and go. It seemed as if “Wicked” was on the verge of joining the ranks of unrealized musical movie masterpieces, but alas, even Elphaba’s gravity-defying abilities couldn’t escape the gravitational pull of development purgatory.
In a few short days, we’ll finally get to see “Wicked” on the big screen. However, you might be surprised to know that Stephen Daldry wasn’t originally chosen to direct this musical film. Back in 2016, it was actually Stephen Daldry who was supposed to lead the project, and he stayed involved for four long years. So, one may wonder: what became of Daldry’s version of “Wicked”?
Stephen Daldry’s First Taste of Wicked-ness
Stephen Daldry’s reputation as a filmmaker has been consistently strong, earning him numerous accolades. Starting with his first feature-length directorial effort, “Billy Elliot,” in 2000, he quickly gained attention and was even nominated for the Best Director Oscar. Following this, Daldry directed three consecutive films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: “The Hours,” “The Reader,” and “Extremely Loud & Incredible Close.” Notably, these movies not only brought Daldry additional Best Director Oscar nominations but also resulted in Oscars for actors like Nicole Kidman and Kate Winslet. From 2000 to 2011, Daldry’s films proved to be highly successful during awards season.
It’s important to remember that when considering why Universal zeroed in on Daldry as the perfect person to finally bring Wicked to life. After Chicago took home the Best Picture Oscar, musical movies have been seen by studios as a very likely way to score awards’ season glory. Best Picture nominees for subsequent musical movies like La La Land, Les Miserables, and West Side Story have reinforced this perception. Getting Daldry for Wicked back in 2016 suggested Universal saw enormous Oscar potential in this Oz tale. Before a frame of footage was shot, Universal was displaying tremendous confidence in Wicked’s potential.
In June 2017, director Stephen Daldry began discussing the project “Wicked,” indicating that it was not yet ready to be launched. An initial release date of December 2019 was announced, but at that time, no script had been written for this musical adaptation. Furthermore, Daldry’s primary focus was on directing episodes of Season 2 of “The Crown,” so the land of Oz would have to be put on hold. Towards the end of the year, however, Daldry did confirm that his “Wicked” film would begin production in 2018; yet, he remained elusive about what the project would entail or who might be cast in the upcoming feature.
Wicked Faces Delays
For about two years, there were no significant updates regarding Sam Mendes’ “Wicked” movie. In August 2018, Universal Studios decided to move “Wicked” from its initial release schedule. The new date was then assigned to “Cats”, a musical film that didn’t quite become an Oscar front-runner. Later in the year, Universal scheduled “Wicked” for December 2021, with Sam Mendes still attached as director. In the same year, Stephen Schwartz, the songwriter of “Wicked”, publicly expressed his preference for Ariana Grande to play Glinda if casting were to take place, but emphasized that Sam Mendes would have the final say in decisions regarding casting.
In fall 2019, it was clear that Stephen Daldry was still in charge of the creative aspects of the musical Wicked. At that point, he was deeply involved in the Broadway show The Inheritance, which restricted his ability to discuss publicly about his plans for Wicked. The specifics of Daldry’s vision for this long-gestating movie adaptation remained unclear. Unfortunately, the project faced another significant hurdle when the COVID-19 pandemic brought the entertainment industry to a halt in March 2020, making the previously scheduled December 2021 release date unattainable. As a result, Daldry’s involvement with the project came to an end.
In October 2020, Director Daldry parted ways with the production of “Wicked” following several years as its leader. The departure was allegedly due to scheduling issues and the inability to film “Wicked” in London, Daldry’s home city. It’s also worth noting that by 2020, it had been almost a decade since Daldry directed a movie nominated for Best Picture. A decision that seemed ideal in the mid-2010s wasn’t quite as suitable in 2020. Fast forward a few months, and Jon M. Chu was appointed to direct “Wicked”, and principal photography commenced (with the film later being split into two parts by the end of 2022).
Stephen Daldry’s Wicked Is Shrouded in Mystery
Currently, there’s no publicly available concept art or detailed plot outlines from Stephen Daldry’s adaptation of “Wicked” that offer a sneak peek into his plans for the project. Looking back, it appears that “Wicked,” under Daldry’s direction and with multiple scheduled release dates, seemed to be in a holding pattern until Chu took over. From that point on, the adaptation of the musical began moving swiftly, much like a bullet train. Unfortunately, no details about Daldry’s specific intentions for adapting this musical were shared, nor were key crew members such as cinematographers appointed to bring his vision for “Wicked” to life.
Due to various reasons, it’s uncertain what director Stephen Daldry’s vision for “Wicked” would have been, as he is not particularly vocal on social media and thus, his aspirations for the project may remain a mystery. Considering the high anticipation surrounding Lin-Manuel Miranda’s adaptation of “Wicked”, it’s unlikely that many moviegoers will even be aware of, let alone express interest in, Daldry’s version of the film that never materialized. However, fans of musicals and unrealized projects will no doubt speculate about what Daldry could have brought to this project, given his success with films like “Billy Elliot”.
Could he have divided “Wicked” into two films just like it was done? Was Ariana Grande always the top choice for casting regardless of who directed her role? Would Tom Hooper opt for a darker, more authentic color scheme? These are queries we’ll likely never receive definitive answers to, as Tom Hooper’s “Wicked” remains shrouded in mystery much like the Wizard of Oz himself!
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2024-11-17 20:10