“Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights” helmer Jon M. Chu is set to direct the film adaptation of record-breaking Tony Award-winning stage musical “Wicked” at Universal Pictures.
Chu’s boarding comes after “Billy Elliot” director Stephen Daldry left the project last Fall just as the studio opted to move fast on the adaptation after years of stalling.
The stage musical, a revisionist take on “The Wizard of Oz” from the perspective of its witches, has been seen by over 60 million people worldwide.
That’s not the only directorial hire today as “The White Tiger” director Ramin Bahrani, author Aravind Adiga and distributor Netflix will re-team on an adaptation of Adiga’s 2020 thriller novel “Amnesty”.
Bahrani will again write, direct and produce the project following an undocumented immigrant who cleans houses in Australia. One summer day he realises that he has information about the murder of one of his employers.