Stephen Schwartz Talks Making Changes and Writing New Songs for the Wicked Movie

The Oscar-winning composer warns fans not to expect a carbon copy of the stage musical.

Ahead of Stephen Schwartz receiving the Founders Award at the 32nd annual ASCAP Screen Music Awards on May 16, the Oscar-winning composer spoke with Variety about several upcoming projects, including the long-awaited film version of the musical Wicked.

Schwartz said the Wicked film will feature at least two songs new to the score, although he has yet to write any new music for the motion picture.

Original librettist Winnie Holzman is at work on the screenplay. “We're just having so much fun, revisiting that material we love so much,” Schwartz said, “and thinking about everything you can do on screen to retell the story.”

Stephen Daldry, as previously reported, will direct the film.

Schwartz did warn that fans of the international hit musical should not expect to see the stage show on screen. “There are things that work on stage but won’t work on film,” said Schwartz. “In order to do something that will work on its own merits, you have to do something different. The only concern is people who would be coming expecting to see a filmed version of the play. They’re not going to see that.”

Read: WICKED FILM WILL FEATURE NEW AND CUT SONGS

Among Schwartz's other upcoming projects are a revised version of Rags, which will be seen at Goodspeed Opera House in the fall, the stage musical adaptation of Prince of Egypt (beginning October 5 in Palo Alto), and a possible new production of his opera, Séance on a Wet Afternoon.

To purchase tickets to Wicked on Broadway, click here .

Check out footage from the stage version of Wicked below:



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