I am a big fan of the Wicked story. First a book, then a Broadway musical, the Wicked story covers the other side of The Wizard of Oz, told from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West (here named Elphaba). For those that have neither read the book nor seen the musical, I will clue you in on very crucial fact: Other than the very basic outlines of characters and plot, the two are vastly different. I’ve been rooting for the big screen version in production over at Universal seemingly forever now, but it looks like there is a new player in this particular game.
Mike Ausiello, at his brand spanking new website TVLine, reports that ABC is working on a Salma Hayek helmed mini-series adaptation of the book. Set to be eight hours, the plot would logically cover Elphie’s years in school, time as a political dissident, and whatever the last third of the book is about — seriously, I’ve read it twice, and I’m still not entirely sure what was going on. There is certainly enough story there for eight hours, but the question is obvious: Is there room enough in the pop culture landscape for both stories?
Well, on its own, the answer is probably not. But when you factor other Oz related projects currently in production, including one with Robert Downey Jr. attached that focuses on the Wizard’s story, the answer is no … definitely no … positively no … decidedly no (and there goes my musical reference of the post). There might be enough room for two of these stories, but I think more might be a stretch. And as much as I would easily pick the two Wicked properties, I doubt both would be viable projects.
So which (ha!) has the advantage? The TV production is being written by Erik Jendresen, who penned several of my favorite Band of Brothers installments, so that is definitely a plus. Plus, I have been begging for more “Event Television” for as long as I can remember, and a four-part mini-series would most certainly fit the bill; but, for those who’ve not seen the musical, it is — excuse the pun — magical. It is one of the best musicals I’ve ever seen on stage, and I’d love to have a version I can pop into ye ‘ole DVD player anytime I’d like. And, there exists the most no-brainer piece of casting ever for Elphaba (I’m looking at you, Lea Michele), and a bit of dream casting I’d love to see for Glinda (Kristen Bell has singing chops, too, boys and girls).
Which would you rather see?
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Jan 10, 2011 @ 23:22 EST5EDT
I don’t care to see any version that is based specifically on the book. I hated the book.
I love the musical, but hate the book.
But, now that I type that, I would probably watch anyways. I’m a sucker that way.
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And, as I hit ‘submit’ and saw my comment load, there is my diametric opposite, Carla, emphatically stating she hated the book, loved the musical.
Chick-a-boom, chick-a-boom … don’tcha just love it?
. . . . .
I read the book years and years ago when it first came out. (Mid ’90’s or thereabout?) And I loved the book.
I have had no desire to see the musical. No a single, solitary inkling of mind to venture out to see it … and I’ve had plenty of opportunity to do so.
A mini-series? Well now, this sounds rather attractive. I’m on board, especially if it’s a television series. But, dude: Lea Michele … ?!? I’m just not on board that train.
Let’s hurry up and wait and see what happens …
*POST AUTHOR*
In the musical version? Such incredibly perfect casting it hurts.
In the book version it would be so incredibly wrong it would hurt.
Not sure why you’d not give the musical a chance. Really a great story.
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Hokay … if it’s a musical, I can see her (Michele) doing her thing. But I was thinking more along the lines of a straight out and out adaptation of the book.
*POST AUTHOR*
Yeah, i wouldn’t know where to start with casting Elphaba in a book adaptation.
Evan Rachel Wood maybe. Id love to see Jena Malone get to take a stab at it but it would never happen. Allison Miller Perhaps.
For Glinda, though, I’d still advocate Bell.
This my casting opinion
For the musical movie adaptation
Anne Hathaway – Elphba
Charlotte Church – Glinda
For the book movie version, I think it needs to be rated R or gonna to be LAME.
Chloe Sevingy – Elphba
Kate Winslet – Glinda
Way back before there was a musical, Demi Moore supposedly held the rights to the book and had planned to produce a mini-series that never got off the ground. I love the book – the musical, not so much because so much of the story had been changed to make it a mainstream, feel good, Broadway event for the entire family. I’ve been waiting for someone to do the book right, so I have high hopes for a mini-series. The problem is, people who have only seen the show will hate it because it’s going to be really dark. I’m on board!
Perhaps if I had read the book before I saw and fell in love with the musical, I would have enjoyed it more. I actually didn’t finish the book. I couldn’t read the last 30 pages or so, because it was so dark. First time I ever didn’t finish a book (as an adult at least).
There’s also going to be a computer animated “sequel” to the original Oz film starring (wait for it….) Lea Michelle.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0884726/
I am an avid reader…couldn’t wait to get through the book, loved most of it..but like the author and a few posters..I drifted off at the end and never did finish it. I never saw the musical and had ample chance also. I would watch a mini-series though, to see the parts of the book that I really liked and then to finally see the ending and see if it makes any more sense to me.
A bit off topic, but isn’t that what comments are for? Last year I saw yet another Oz adaptation, Scarecrow For Hire. This one is told from the perspective of Scarecrow. He’s a P.I. that gets mixed up in a murder mystery. The witches are now daughters of the man who owned all of Oz, and when one of them is murdered, Dorothy is the prime suspect.
*POST AUTHOR*
Isn’t what what comments are for… I don’t catch your meaning?