‘Wicked’ Writer Reveals What Would’ve Been Cut if Musical Was One Movie

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As a seasoned cinephile with over three decades of film-watching under my belt, I can confidently say that the decision to split “Wicked” into two movies was a masterstroke. Having attended the Broadway production multiple times and being an ardent fan of the original musical, I can attest to the fact that there is so much more to Elphaba and Glinda’s story than what could be crammed into one film.

In a different scenario, if “Wicked” had been a single movie instead of two, it would’ve presented a dramatically distinct portrayal. Though this might appear self-explanatory to some, the actual implications are mind-boggling when you consider the substantial elements that the musical’s creative team intended to excise from the script.

Winnie Holzman, who authored the stage musical’s book and collaborated on the screenplays for both “Wicked” movies with Dana Fox, openly discussed possible modifications at TheWrap’s annual Power Women Summit in Los Angeles, during their “Art of Adaptation” panel, on a Tuesday gathering.

Holzman, who collaborated with composer Stephen Schwartz on both the stage musical and movie versions, clarified that the decision to split the Broadway show (similar in length to the initial film) into two films was made not just to avoid omissions, but also to delve more profoundly into the stories briefly touched upon in the live performance.

Originally, the plan wasn’t for there to be two movies, as Holzman clarified. When he initially began scripting for “Wicked”, it was intended to be a single film, which seemed logical to us in the early stages.

Instead, the pair expressed a strong desire not to omit any tracks, as they valued the feelings of their fans and had an affection for these particular songs themselves. Moreover, Stephen Schwartz even proposed adding new songs to the mix.

How/Why Did ‘Wicked’ End Up Becoming Two Movies Instead of One?

For Holzman and their team, watching the film version of Wicked seemed like a dream come true, as if their wishes were being granted (thanks to Universal Pictures). This allowed them to explore deeper aspects, enhance the overall experience, and offer more than what the stage production was capable of. As Holzman put it, “We wanted to delve further at times, enrich the experience, and provide more. That’s part of the excitement for us in making it into a movie. Essentially, we were asking ourselves, ‘What could we add?’

She continued, adding that:

Initially, when creating this musical, there were certain elements we envisioned that seemed virtually impossible to bring to life on stage. But as we started brainstorming, it felt like the perfect opportunity to expand upon our ideas, deepen the songs, and delve further into the story. If you’ve had a chance to watch the show, you know how much I adore it – it’s like a cherished child to me. However, we move at quite a pace in the production – things whiz by so quickly that they seem to vanish as soon as they appear.

If the production of Wicked hadn’t been given approval for two movies, certain elements such as “the Grimmerie,” the animal story, and more about the two women themselves might have been omitted. However, by deciding to create a two-part film, they recognized that the world of Elphaba and Glinda could become even more expansive and immersive for both the audience and longtime fans, allowing us to witness aspects like Elphaba’s childhood on-screen.

Initially, the idea of dividing the narrative into two films seemed like a daunting challenge due to space constraints. However, as Holzman and I pondered over it, we began to realize that the story itself was the true focus. Splitting it would provide us with ample room to include every aspect we desired, offering an extraordinary level of creative freedom.

To clarify any misconceptions about this project being a money-making scheme by Universal, it wasn’t. Instead, as Holzman elaborated, the driving force behind it was our own passion and desire to incorporate everything we wanted without feeling pressured. And it turns out that we are genuinely satisfied with the end result.

She pointed out that you aim to finish the day by looking in the mirror and thinking, ‘I’ve remained authentic to myself, and I genuinely back this.’ This means that you want to feel the personal drive that comes from presenting your work with honest intentions, believing wholeheartedly in it.

Ultimately, our entire creative team concurred that it was an appropriate choice, as Holzman shared. Indeed, it proved to be a smart move, with Wicked enjoying a remarkable opening week at the box office and maintaining its success even in competition with blockbusters like Moana 2 and Gladiator II.

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2024-12-05 03:01