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Movie musicals are a tried and true genre, which has pleased audiences for decades. While a Dear Evan Hansen movie is currently filming and The Prom will soon arrive on Netflix, one beloved Broadway musical still hasn't been made into a movie: Wicked. Stephen Schwartz' Broadway blockbuster had had a long run on the Great White Way, but the movie adaptation is still in the early development stage. And original Glinda actress Kristin Chenoweth explained why she wants to see a Wicked movie so bad.
Wicked debuted on Broadway back in 2003, and has sold full houses in the decade and change since. Kristin Chenoweth originated the role of Galinda/Glinda in the show, and was nominated for a Best Actress Tony Award in the process. While many fans are hoping she gets a role in the Wicked movie, Chenoweth shared why she thinks it's so important for the show to eventually get the movie treatment. As she put it,
First of all, as a kid growing up in Oklahoma, I couldn’t get to Broadway. We couldn’t afford that. So I relied on television and books, and occasionally a tour that might come through Tulsa. So why not make it a movie and let this Me Too movement, which we were doing before the Me Too movement – Wicked has the themes I like in a show. It has the themes of friendship, forgiveness and love, and between two women. The love is really between them two, and that’s what I want up on that camera. I want it up on the screens, I want it on television so that people who can’t afford to go see the show can watch it.
Touche. It looks like Kristin Chenoweth is ready for a Wicked movie for a variety of ways. In addition to making the show accessible for folks who couldn't afford to see the Broadway show or national tour, it's also a story about female friendship. And given the push for more inclusion and female voices, that dynamic seems especially relevant.
Kristin Chenoweth's comments to Collider came thanks to an interview about her role in HBO Max's The Witches. Eventually the conversation turned to her own tenure as the Good Witch, and the still developing Wicked movie. That's when she was able to share why it's so important for that story to make it onto the big screen. Specifically, for young women in the audience.
The Witches is currently streaming on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
In the years since Wicked became a global musical sensation, Kristin Chenoweth has been able to reprise her iconic vocals in a variety of events. She most recently hosted last year's TV special A Very Wicked Halloween, where she also sang Glinda's iconic songs. We'll just have to wait and see if she's involved in the upcoming movie adaptation.
While audiences are expecting a new face to play Glinda in the Wicked movie, fans of the Broadway musical are still holding out hope that Kristin Chenoweth could play a role. Namely Madame Morrible, the Headmaster at Shiz who eventually becomes The Wizard's Press Secretary. It's a role that Chenoweth would no doubt play with ease, although there hasn't been any official casting announcements made.
Kristin Chenoweth can be heard voicing Mary / Daisy the mouse in The Witches on HBO Max. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.
