‘Wicked’ Director Jon M. Chu Says Release Date Won’t ‘Be Affected’ by Strike

As the joint WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes continue to send shockwaves throughout Hollywood, many filmmakers are updating fans on the status of the slew of upcoming films set to be impacted by the breakdown in negotiations between writers, actors and AMPTP. Among them is Jon M. Chu, the director of the highly anticipated Wicked movie musicals.

In an Instagram Story and tweet on Wednesday (July 19), Chu confirmed to fans that filming is “paused until the strike is over.” “We were only a few days away from being done, so we were SO close,” he wrote. “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.”

“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),” Chu continued. “It has been an extraordinary adventure… more to do.”

His clarification comes on the heels of fan speculation that filming was complete, as well as rumors that star Ariana Grande — who is playing Glinda the Good Witch — would be returning to the States soon. The majority of Wicked filming took place right outside London, the same city where the “Positions” singer was recently spotted without her wedding ring a day before reports surfaced that she and husband Dalton Gomez were headed for a divorce.

Wicked features a star-studded cast of some of the industry’s most acclaimed actors and singers including Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Keala Settle round out the cast. Split into two films, the first Wicked movie is slated for a Nov. 27, 2024, release, with the second following on Nov. 26, 2025.

Chu concluded the Instagram Story with update with a note of solidarity, writing, “Much love to … our beloved SAG members who are fighting for a fair deal! We stand with you.”

Click here to read Jon M. Chu’s full statement on Instagram Stories, and see his tweet below.

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