91裸聊视频淢usical91裸聊视频� has been a dirty word lately in Hollywood marketing, but director Jon M. Chu isn91裸聊视频檛 having it.

Of course, there91裸聊视频檚 no running from the term when you91裸聊视频檙e bringing to the screen of the 21st century, or telling a story so connected to one of the most beloved movie musicals ever, 91裸聊视频淭he Wizard of Oz.91裸聊视频� But Chu, the 44-year-old filmmaker of 202191裸聊视频檚 who as a young man was transported by 91裸聊视频淲颈肠办别诲91裸聊视频� on the stage, is a true believer in form.

91裸聊视频淲hen words aren91裸聊视频檛 enough, music is the extension of your expression. That91裸聊视频檚 what movies do, and that91裸聊视频檚 what musicals do,91裸聊视频� says Chu. 91裸聊视频淲hen it91裸聊视频檚 tied into their communication of where characters are at in this moment and time, it91裸聊视频檚 the most beautiful thing.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲icked,91裸聊视频� which Universal Pictures opens Thursday in theaters, is not just because it91裸聊视频檚 been split in two (the second 91裸聊视频淲颈肠办别诲91裸聊视频� film will arrive in fall 2025), but because it91裸聊视频檚 going all-out for a big-screen, song-and-dance spectacular at a time when other films (see 91裸聊视频淲onka91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淢ean Girls91裸聊视频�) have sought to shroud their musical underpinnings.

91裸聊视频淓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,91裸聊视频� says Chu. 91裸聊视频淲e had to shoot the moon.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲icked,91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淲颈肠办别诲91裸聊视频� movie been in development almost since the Broadway show opened in 2003 91裸聊视频� earlier, in fact, because producer Marc Platt initially developed Gregory Maguire91裸聊视频檚 book 91裸聊视频淲icked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频淲icked.91裸聊视频� During a recent interview by Zoom, Chu said he identifies strongly with the story91裸聊视频檚 themes of taking alternate routes to Emerald City.

91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频楾he Wizard of Oz91裸聊视频� had such an influence of my own family 91裸聊视频� an immigrant family that came to America with these dreams,91裸聊视频� says Chu, whose parents were born in Taiwan and China. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e going through such a changing period in our culture, and this hit it so on the nose 91裸聊视频� that change is difficult, that the Yellow Brick Road may not be the path for all of us.91裸聊视频�

Much of 91裸聊视频淲颈肠办别诲91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频� even though Grande auditioned numerous times.

91裸聊视频淎ri, she came in five times for us. Every time, she was the most interesting person in the room,91裸聊视频� Chu says. 91裸聊视频淚 resisted. I was like, 91裸聊视频楾here91裸聊视频檚 no way Ariana Grande, the person we think of, can handle this, carrying a movie, her first movie.91裸聊视频� Wait until you see her in this. She will blow your mind and break your hearts.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淚 knew Cynthia could do 91裸聊视频楧efy Gravity91裸聊视频� anytime, anywhere,91裸聊视频� says Chu. 91裸聊视频淲hat I didn91裸聊视频檛 know was how vulnerable she could be. But when she came in and sang 91裸聊视频楾he Wizard and I,91裸聊视频� she showed her wounds. To me, that91裸聊视频檚 why I fell in love with movies, when you get to see someone so raw.91裸聊视频�

The first 91裸聊视频淲颈肠办别诲91裸聊视频� film will emphasize Elphaba91裸聊视频檚 transformation, the second Glinda91裸聊视频檚.

91裸聊视频淭hat structure and those journeys made it that much easier to see, oh, there91裸聊视频檚 two different stories,91裸聊视频� says Platt, the veteran producer of 91裸聊视频淟a La Land,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淚nto the Woods91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频淟egally Blonde.91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e the same story and it91裸聊视频檚 about both of them all the time. But, really, one character changes significantly through the first and one changes significantly in the second.91裸聊视频�

Measuring up to not just 91裸聊视频淲颈肠办别诲91裸聊视频� but 91裸聊视频淭he Wizard of Oz91裸聊视频� was an added pressure that led to some extremes. Chu, for example, had nine million tulips grown for his sets.

91裸聊视频淰ery few filmmakers have had the opportunity to paint Oz, and I took that very seriously,91裸聊视频� says Chu. 91裸聊视频淲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!91裸聊视频�