by Nathaniel R
After years of fan-casting and online speculation we finally know who will be following in Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth's footsteps in that Emerald City of stage and screen legend. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will be taking on the iconic roles of Glinda and Elphaba in the big screen adaptation of Broadway behemoth Wicked which is, if you've been sleeping under a rock, about the witches before the events of The Wizard of Oz. The news was announced tonight by the film's director Jon M Chu.
How are you feeling about this news? Well how am I feeling? Not even sure and I'll tell you why...
These roles are so ginormous and this has the potential to either be a mega blockbuster or an abysmal failure (or both!) that I feel too much anxiety to be happy or sad. But here are a few initial thoughts...
... A movie musical that understands that years after the initial phenomenon you really do have to recast (sorry Rent and Dear Evan Hansen) for basic age reasons? That's "Good News". Sure Ariana and Cynthia aren't, like, 19... but realism isn't really Wicked's thing. They're close enough to 'young adults' for this kind of fantasy.
...Jon M Chu in the director's chair continues to be very good news since In the Heights showed that he completely "gets" the movie musical.
... Cynthia Erivo has screen presence and a sensational voice so we're all good with Elphaba.
... I love Ariana's music but I do worry about this casting because even though she's totally cute and charming like Gallinda and her voice is beautiful... we don't really know if she can act. What's more she never enunciates when she sings. The latter is a huge problem since you kinda have to do just that for musicals especially when the clever quippy lyrics are baked into your character/songs and a major part of your role's "popular"ity.
... I only pray to the cinema and musical gods alike that the filmmakers take the "Cast a Movie Musical Without James Corden" challenge we issued on twitter. Because: Enough! There are hundreds of great musical actors out there and judging by his lazy work in Cats (not funny at all) and his overkill in The Prom (it's homophobic to play a mincing gay unless you are one and then its just good common sense and Pride), they should steer clear. Plus, why does every movie need the same familiar faces?
Maybe we should do a Cast This? on the other roles in the comments
Our only requirement for the producers is NO stunt casting for the sake of stunt casting or because they're being cast in everything else at the moment. In other words just cast people who could act the roles well who are great singers. You dont always need giant stars for supporting roles.
The older characters
You could go in virtually any direction with Madame Morrible. Stunt casting. Reprise casting. Middle age. Older. They just have to be funny ladies who can sing and act and plot.
MADAME MORRIBLE - The headmistress of the wizardry school Elphaba and Glinda attend. She is the first to recognize Elphaba's considerable magic gifts. She's a politically maneuvering baddie though, and no friend to the animal characters. Showcase numbers: "The Wizard and I" a duet with Elphaba and "Thank Goodness" a duet with Glinda.
THE WIZARD - The prime power player behind the curtain. There's no reason not to have Joel Grey reprise this role! But if he doesn't want to do it there are plenty of older singing actors who could slay it. Showcase numbers: "A Sentimental Man" solo and "Wonderful" a duet with Elphaba
DOCTOR DILLAMOND - A talking goat. Alas he'll probably be poorly CGI'ed. Showcase number "Something Bad" (duet with Elphaba)
The school friends of the leads
FIYERO -A hot fun prince that Glinda likes but who falls in love with Elphaba. Showcase number: "Dancing Through Life" mostly solo and "As Long As You're Mine" (duet with Elphaba). Since they cast late 20s/early 30s for Glinda and Elphaba they should do the same for him. Plenty of sexy singing men in that age range!
BOQ - He's a sweet Munchkin who is infatuated with Glinda but cursed by Nessarose to become the Tin Man (because he doesn't love her back). The musical ignores that Munchkins are little people in its casting which we've always thought was odd. Why tell us he's a Munchkin then? We suppose they'll change this for the movie either going full Munchkin (and obviously there are little people out there who can act and sing!) or changing the conception of the character.
NESSAROSE - Elphaba's beautiful physically-disabled sister. She will become the Wicked Witch of the East.