In an exclusive conversation with Variety, Stephen Schwartz, the composer of Wicked, confirmed that the highly-anticipated cinematic rendition of the popular Broadway musical was on the verge of wrapping up its filming when an abrupt strike forced the production to come to a halt. Schwartz unveiled that Wicked was just a stone’s throw away from completion, with only ten filming days remaining for Parts 1 and 2 when the production had to be discontinued due to the strike.
Schwartz, who lent his talent to the original Broadway success by composing the music and penning the lyrics, collaborated again with writer Winnie Holzman for this silver-screen adaptation. The Wicked movie boasts a stellar ensemble featuring Cynthia Erivo playing the character of Elphaba and Ariana Grande donning the role of Glinda. Additional cast members making this star-studded roster more luminous include Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Adam James, Keala Settle, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, and the legendary Jeff Goldblum.
Despite acknowledging the untimely nature of the halt in the production, Schwartz expressed his wholehearted support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. In his own words, “It’s quite frustrating in a way because we have, I think, 10 days worth of shooting to go finish all the shooting for both movies…But on the other hand, I might as well declare it, I’m in great sympathy and support of the unions that are striking.”
Although not a WGA member himself, Schwartz voiced his agreement with the demands being put forth by the striking unions, seeing them as valid and justified. The composer firmly believed that these demands had to be addressed, thereby preventing him from feeling too aggrieved about the strike’s impact on his specific project.
Schwartz Expresses Hope for a Fair Resolution
Schwartz elaborated further, stating, “The good news for us is that we’ve been shooting for almost eight months. So they’ve got a lot. And that means there’s stuff to work on. Obviously, I hope the strike gets settled and settled fairly, as soon as possible. But it would have been a lot more difficult if we had been filming for, you know, a week and a half, and this happened. There’s a lot of stuff that can be worked on by Jon and his team.”
Adding to the narrative, Wicked’s director, Jon M. Chu, issued a statement on his Instagram story, echoed on Twitter as well, that read, “Not done yet. Just paused until the strike is over and we can finish the last pieces of the movie. We were only a few days away from being done so we were SO close. It’s been very painful to put a halt to it all but we will be back!”
The acclaimed director of Crazy Rich Asians continued to express his empathy for the cast and crew who had to prematurely pause their creative endeavor. He assured, however, that once the time is right, they “will finish properly strong.” In the interim, he expressed excitement over examining the footage shot over the past year in Oz, ensuring the release date remains unaffected. Chu too echoed the sentiments of solidarity with the strikers, expressing much love for the “beloved SAG members who are fighting for a fair deal!”
During the interview, Schwartz also mentioned his visit to the Wicked set and lauded Nathan Crowley’s “amazing” production design. He was particularly impressed by the intricate details that went into creating the sets, something that he described as a throwback to the “old days of building these giant sets on a back lot or on a soundstage.”
Schwartz was in awe of the attention to detail, citing examples of the minutely written labels and titles on books in a library set. He marveled at the fact that the camera may not even capture these small details, but they were still meticulously crafted, specific to Oz and its characters.
Praises for Erivo and Grande
Before concluding the interview, Schwartz, who worked alongside Erivo and Grande on the movie’s soundtrack and pre-recorded vocals, took a moment to appreciate the two Wicked stars. He commended them for their spectacular singing and musical talents. He also commented on their physical appearances, remarking how Cynthia looked stunning in her green makeup with her “giant eyes” and how Ariana always appeared like Glinda to him.
In conclusion, the much-anticipated Wicked movie, despite being close to wrapping up its filming, had to put things on pause due to a strike. However, both Schwartz and Chu remain hopeful that things will get resolved fairly and swiftly, allowing them to complete this extraordinary cinematic endeavor. Their solidarity with the striking unions serves as a reminder of the importance of fair negotiations in the world of art and entertainment. Fans of the Broadway hit are eagerly awaiting the movie adaptation, which promises stellar performances from its cast and intricate detailing in its production design. Despite the challenges, the enthusiasm surrounding Wicked remains undiminished, keeping the anticipation high for its eventual release.
