Jon M. Chu Has A Hilarious Response After Lin-Manuel Miranda Claimed 'Wicked' Copied 'In The Heights' Choreography

During production on 2021’s In The Heights, the musical’s creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and the film’s director Jon M. Chu became close friends. The two are powerhouses in the movie industry, so it’s little surprise that they’ve both had huge films come out at the tail end of the 2024 release schedule. Miranda wrote original songs for Mufasa: The Lion King and Jon M. Chu directed the musical phenomenon Wicked. Even though they’re not working together on said projects, it seems that Chu lifted some choreography from In The Heights, and after Lin called him out in spectacular fashion, the director responded to his “sassy” friend. I had the privilege of speaking with both men on behalf of their respective projects, and after Lin-Manuel Miranda gave me a message to deliver Jon M. Chu questioning this “homage” in the choreography, I gave the Wicked director a chance to respond.

“Is That Timmy Or Bob?” The Wild Story Behind The Cast Hearing Timothée Chalamet Doing The Bob Dylan Voice For The First Time

Ever since Timothée Chalamet’s Oscar-nominated performance in 2017’s Call Me By Your Name, the actor has been on a consistent and aggressively upward Hollywood trajectory. In his latest film, James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown, he portrays Bob Dylan not just with accuracy, but heart. It's arguably why critics are raving about Chalamet's performance. But the praise doesn’t stop there, as his castmates are still talking about the first time they heard him sing as Dylan. And, as CinemaBlend learned, they couldn’t tell the difference between the recordings from "Timmy" and Dylan himself. Monica Barbaro, who you may know as Phoenix from Top Gun: Maverick, brilliantly portrays folk singer and Bob Dylan collaborator Joan Baez in the film. When I caught up with her to discuss A Complete Unknown, she told me about the first time she heard Timothée Chalamet as Dylan and how the voice was so close that it confused her while recording.

‘Oh My God, Yes!’ Ben Schwartz Tells Us What He Wants For 'Sonic 4,' And It Makes Me Even More Excited

Is Pumbaa A Stoner? Listen, There’s Disney Canon, And Then There’s Seth Rogen Canon

Ridley Scott Has Promised That Paul Mescal Kissing Pedro Pascal Will Make The 'Gladiator 2' Director’s Cut Master

The cast of "Gladiator II" is absolutely stacked for obvious reasons. It sees the return of Connie Nielsen and a performance by Denzel Washington that folks are saying may have secured his third Oscar. But in what is perhaps a coincidental turn of events, the film also features the internet’s biggest heartthrobs Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, and the now-infamous lost take of the former kissing the latter on the forehead looks like it’s coming to VOD. I recently spoke with the film's star and director in anticipation of "Gladiator II's" release, and to catch all of you up, Paul Mescal retold the humorous story of director Ridley Scott’s reaction to the improvised forehead kiss.

Jon M. Chu Dishes On How Much Dorothy Will Be In 'Wicked 2'

Wicked mania is still in full swing. The film is currently racking it up at the box office, critics are praising it, our own official Wicked review gave it a perfect 5/5, and just as the hype starts to die down, Wicked: For Good will be hitting theaters next year. The massive success forces one to reflect on its predecessor, The Wizard Of Oz, which became a worldwide phenomenon when it hit theaters about 85 years ago. At this point, Wicked feels like its own thing entirely, but according to director Jon M. Chu, Wicked: For Good will connect to The Wizard of Oz in a major, direct way, and it’s through the iconic protagonist Dorothy Gale. Director Jon M. Chu cannot stop teasing what’s to come when the second half of Glinda and Elphaba’s story finally hits the big screen, and although our most recent conversation was in celebration of Wicked’s December 31 home video release, it inevitably came back around to For Good, and of course, Dorothy.

Denzel Washington Tells Us Why He Probably Won’t Be In 'Gladiator 3,' And His Reasoning Makes Me Sad

It would be seemingly impossible to outdo the cast of 2000’s "Gladiator," the film that made Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix household names. However, the "Gladiator II" cast may have done just that. Not only does it star some newly-crowned Hollywood A-listers like Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn, but it also features some industry vets like Connie Nielsen, Pedro Pascal and, perhaps most notably, the iconic Denzel Washington. The two-time Academy Award winner is already getting some Oscar buzz for the film, and although he’s a huge get for the "Gladiator series," he seems to think that the road stops here. I sat down with Denzel Washington to talk about the new film, and when the subject of participating in future sequels came up, he responded in kind.