Jon M. Chu is currently juggling edits on Wicked: For Good even as he continues to trek the awards circuit for that film’s predecessor and, unexpectedly, he says seeing the response to Wicked is impacting his vision for the upcoming sequel.
“It does affect when we went back into the cut, like, ‘Oh, wait, they’re really paying attention to every detail,’ and how we plan on paying certain things off. Maybe we can be more subtle with that, or maybe we don’t have to remind them of so much,” he explained to Deadline backstage at Friday night’s Critics Choice Awards after accepting the statuette for Best Director.
He continued: “It absolutely affects everything that we’re doing. I didn’t think it would, but actually getting into the cut, I feel like I’m more in the head space of where the fans are, whereas before, we had to cover our bases a little bit more for everybody.”
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There’s not much by way of the plot that Chu can necessarily tease about Wicked: For Good, since it’s based on existing IP, but he did speak a bit about what audiences can expect from the film’s stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
“If you love those two women, wait until you see where their relationship goes. Wait until you see the heights that they can hit,” he said. “Oz is bigger. It’s more expansive. And, in the time that we’re living in, it speaks so directly to the moment and to the courage and the consequences it takes, to some of the choices that we have to make and who you choose to become when you know the truth.”
Cynthia Erivo teases ‘Wicked: For Good’: “It’s a littler darker but I think it’s equally as meaningful” | #CriticsChoice pic.twitter.com/vP6GzL1Cu5
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His comments in the press room followed Erivo’s remarks on the red carpet, where she also spoke with Deadline about what to expect from Wicked: For Good.
“It’s a really beautiful part of the story, I think,” she said. “It’s a littler darker but I think it’s equally as meaningful.”
Chu admitted his Best Director win came as quite the surprise, especially after he was snubbed from the category in this year’s Oscar nominations, which he joked about during his speech on stage. To even be invited to the Critics Choice Awards, “means the world to me, personally.”
“For this movie, I think it deserves to be seen. I think it deserves to be loved and praised in all the ways,” he continued.
The post Jon M. Chu Says ‘Wicked’ Awards Run Has “Absolutely” Affected Sequel’s Direction, Teases Part 2 After Critics Choice Win appeared first on Deadline.
