Movies

Wicked director explains ‘Defying Gravity’ changes

BBG News

As a die-hard musical fan who has seen “Wicked” on stage multiple times, I must say that Jon M Chu’s movie adaptation has exceeded my expectations in every way. The decision to split the story into two parts was brilliant, as it allowed for a more immersive and detailed exploration of Elphaba and Galinda’s journey.

Director Jon M Chu, who brought us “Wicked”, shares insights on how his film adaptation of ‘Defying Gravity‘ varies from its original stage performance.

Today, November 22, the long-awaited big-screen rendition of the popular musical has finally hit theaters, with Cynthia Erivo portraying Elphaba, later famously known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande stepping into the shoes of Galinda, eventually recognized as Glinda the Good.

The musical “Wicked” is being divided into two sections, and the first part will end with the famous song ‘Defying Gravity’, similar to the stage performance, while the second part, scheduled for release in November, will complete the storyline.

To tell you the truth,” Chu explained to GamesRadar, “it wasn’t an option for us to split the story. We attempted to create a single film, but when we took out the songs, it just didn’t feel like ‘Wicked’ anymore.

In discussing ‘Defying Gravity’, Chu pointed out that it’s possible to pull off actions on stage that wouldn’t work in a film, as the audience tends to be less skeptical during live performances. This realization influenced certain adjustments made for the production of ‘Defying Gravity’.

He stated, “Using the song as it is within the series doesn’t really convey the sense of conclusion to this grand adventure that we’ve been through.

In other words, we needed to divide things into smaller parts, which was quite daunting. At each juncture, we doubted our choices. Our decisions were not taken casually. We had the ability to change our minds and retrace our steps. We explored every possible option, repeatedly.

“But in the end of the day, it was like, ‘I’m rooting for Elphaba to have this for herself, and she can’t just get it. She has to earn it, too.'”

In simpler terms, Chu explained that one of the modifications to the song serves as a reminder of all the events in the film that question her character, highlighting her need to make a choice that benefits herself or the young girl, depending on one’s perspective. This way, when she declares ‘It’s me,’ our aim throughout the movie has been to convey ‘It’s not for anyone else, it’s for me.’ She then powerfully sings ‘Defying Gravity.’

He went on to say, “I believe if we hadn’t split it into two films, we wouldn’t have been able to include those pivotal scenes.

“And so I think the audience will stick with us on that when you see the movie.”

Wicked is out now in cinemas.

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2024-11-22 14:48

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