香蕉视频直播淢usical香蕉视频直播� has been a dirty word lately in Hollywood marketing, but director Jon M. Chu isn香蕉视频直播檛 having it.

Of course, there香蕉视频直播檚 no running from the term when you香蕉视频直播檙e bringing to the screen of the 21st century, or telling a story so connected to one of the most beloved movie musicals ever, 香蕉视频直播淭he Wizard of Oz.香蕉视频直播� But Chu, the 44-year-old filmmaker of 2021香蕉视频直播檚 who as a young man was transported by 香蕉视频直播淲颈肠办别诲香蕉视频直播� on the stage, is a true believer in form.

香蕉视频直播淲hen words aren香蕉视频直播檛 enough, music is the extension of your expression. That香蕉视频直播檚 what movies do, and that香蕉视频直播檚 what musicals do,香蕉视频直播� says Chu. 香蕉视频直播淲hen it香蕉视频直播檚 tied into their communication of where characters are at in this moment and time, it香蕉视频直播檚 the most beautiful thing.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲icked,香蕉视频直播� which Universal Pictures opens Thursday in theaters, is not just because it香蕉视频直播檚 been split in two (the second 香蕉视频直播淲颈肠办别诲香蕉视频直播� film will arrive in fall 2025), but because it香蕉视频直播檚 going all-out for a big-screen, song-and-dance spectacular at a time when other films (see 香蕉视频直播淲onka香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淢ean Girls香蕉视频直播�) have sought to shroud their musical underpinnings.

香蕉视频直播淓veryone knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, once in a lifetime to make a movie of this scale, of this moment when cinema is being questioned of what place it has in our life,香蕉视频直播� says Chu. 香蕉视频直播淲e had to shoot the moon.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淲icked,香蕉视频直播� written by Winnie Holzman (who penned the book to the musical) and Dana Fox, stars Cynthia Erivo as the green-skinned Elphaba Thropp, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande as Galinda, the future Good Witch of the South.

Various forms of a 香蕉视频直播淲颈肠办别诲香蕉视频直播� movie been in development almost since the Broadway show opened in 2003 香蕉视频直播� earlier, in fact, because producer Marc Platt initially developed Gregory Maguire香蕉视频直播檚 book 香蕉视频直播淲icked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West香蕉视频直播� as a film before shifting to the stage.

Over the years, J.J. Abrams, Ryan Murphy, Rob Marshall and Stephen Daldry have all been attached to it, along with a wide array of actors.

But Chu and Platt, who are also together developing a , consider it destiny that Chu would helm 香蕉视频直播淲icked.香蕉视频直播� During a recent interview by Zoom, Chu said he identifies strongly with the story香蕉视频直播檚 themes of taking alternate routes to Emerald City.

香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈�楾he Wizard of Oz香蕉视频直播� had such an influence of my own family 香蕉视频直播� an immigrant family that came to America with these dreams,香蕉视频直播� says Chu, whose parents were born in Taiwan and China. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e going through such a changing period in our culture, and this hit it so on the nose 香蕉视频直播� that change is difficult, that the Yellow Brick Road may not be the path for all of us.香蕉视频直播�

Much of 香蕉视频直播淲颈肠办别诲香蕉视频直播� will hinge on its two leads (though the supporting cast includes Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and as Madame Morrible). Chu says he never did a chemistry read with Erivo and Grande together 香蕉视频直播� even though Grande auditioned numerous times.

香蕉视频直播淎ri, she came in five times for us. Every time, she was the most interesting person in the room,香蕉视频直播� Chu says. 香蕉视频直播淚 resisted. I was like, 香蕉视频直播楾here香蕉视频直播檚 no way Ariana Grande, the person we think of, can handle this, carrying a movie, her first movie.香蕉视频直播� Wait until you see her in this. She will blow your mind and break your hearts.香蕉视频直播�

Erivo, who was already won a Tony, Grammy and Emmy, and been nominated for an Oscar, was an easier call.

香蕉视频直播淚 knew Cynthia could do 香蕉视频直播楧efy Gravity香蕉视频直播� anytime, anywhere,香蕉视频直播� says Chu. 香蕉视频直播淲hat I didn香蕉视频直播檛 know was how vulnerable she could be. But when she came in and sang 香蕉视频直播楾he Wizard and I,香蕉视频直播� she showed her wounds. To me, that香蕉视频直播檚 why I fell in love with movies, when you get to see someone so raw.香蕉视频直播�

The first 香蕉视频直播淲颈肠办别诲香蕉视频直播� film will emphasize Elphaba香蕉视频直播檚 transformation, the second Glinda香蕉视频直播檚.

香蕉视频直播淭hat structure and those journeys made it that much easier to see, oh, there香蕉视频直播檚 two different stories,香蕉视频直播� says Platt, the veteran producer of 香蕉视频直播淟a La Land,香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淚nto the Woods香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播淟egally Blonde.香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e the same story and it香蕉视频直播檚 about both of them all the time. But, really, one character changes significantly through the first and one changes significantly in the second.香蕉视频直播�

Measuring up to not just 香蕉视频直播淲颈肠办别诲香蕉视频直播� but 香蕉视频直播淭he Wizard of Oz香蕉视频直播� was an added pressure that led to some extremes. Chu, for example, had nine million tulips grown for his sets.

香蕉视频直播淰ery few filmmakers have had the opportunity to paint Oz, and I took that very seriously,香蕉视频直播� says Chu. 香蕉视频直播淲e built a lot of sets. A 16-ton Emerald City train. We built Emerald City. We built Munchkin Land. You could walk around. You could go into stores. You could look at the labels in the stores!香蕉视频直播�