Jon M Chu has revealed the filming of Wicked was days away from wrapping before the Sag-Aftra strike announcement halted production.
The director said that filming has been paused “until the strike is over”.
Chu, the filmmaker known for 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians and 2021’s In The Heights, wrote on Instagram: “Not done yet. Just paused until the strike is over and we can finish the last pieces of the movie.
“We were only a few days away from being done so we were SO close. It’s been very painful to put a halt to it all but we will be back! And we will finish properly strong when the time is right.”
Not done yet. Just paused until the strike is over and we can finish the last pieces of the movie. We were only a few days away from being done so we were SO close. It’s been very painful to put a halt to it all but we will be back! And we will finish properly strong when the…
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) July 19, 2023
The movie stars Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Keala Settle and Jeff Goldblum.
Chart-topping pop star Grande will play Glinda, while Oscar-nominated British actress Erivo will appear as Elphaba in the new film.
The director also confirmed the release date of the film, currently set for December 2024, “shouldn’t be affected” by the halting of production in the UK.
He continued: “My heart goes out to our cast and crew who were cut short of what we came here to complete together.
“More to come but in the meantime I’m excited to excavate what we have shot for the past year here in Oz (release date shouldn’t be affected). It has been an extraordinary adventure… more to do.”
He concluded the statement sending “much love” to the film’s stars and “our other beloved SAG members who are fighting for a fair deal! We stand with you.”
The strike was called last week after the union failed to reach an agreement over a number of issues, including pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – which represents the major film studios, TV networks and streaming giants.
Sag-Aftra said actors face an “existential threat to their livelihoods” with the rise of generative AI technology and the threat of unregulated use, while the issue of pay has also been a key part of negotiations as the advent of streaming has changed the way actors are compensated for their work.
The strike action has caused an industry-wide shutdown as the union represents around 160,000 members of the industry.
In April, Chu announced the adaption would be split into two movies to prevent making “fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years”.
Hit musical Wicked debuted on Broadway in October 2003 with Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth and Joel Grey as the original cast members playing Elphaba, Glinda and the Wizard, respectively.
The show tells the backstory of The Wizard Of Oz and what happened before Dorothy arrived in the enchanted world and launched in the West End in 2006.