According to Collider, Bridgerton breakout Jonathan Bailey has reportedly entered negotiations to star opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Universal Pictures’ long-in-development film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked. Should the deal push through, Bailey would be playing the role of a handsome and carefree prince named Fiyero. This would also mark Bailey’s first major film role in a high-profile project.
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Based on Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel and the Tony-winning stage musical, the Wicked movies will tell the untold story of the Witches of Oz led by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. It will be directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay written by the musical’s book writer Winnie Holzman and three-time Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz.
It has also been confirmed that the film adaptation will now be divided into two parts, in order to accommodate its massive story and remain true to its source material. Both movies will have a Christmas release date, with the first one arriving on December 25, 2024, while the second hits theaters on December 25, 2025.
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The film adaptations will be produced by Marc Platt through his Universal-based Marc Platt Productions. Senior Executive Vice President of Production, Erik Baiers and Vice President of Production Development Lexi Barta will oversee the project on behalf of Universal Pictures.