Demi Moore Almost Played Elphaba in a 1990s Wicked Film Featuring Nicole Kidman as Glinda
The journey to the 2024 Wicked film adaptation, now the highest-grossing movie ever adapted from a Broadway show, began with a vastly different vision in the late 1990s. During that time, early efforts to bring Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West to the big screen explored notable casting options, including Demi Moore as Elphaba and Nicole Kidman as Glinda.
Moore’s production company, Moving Pictures, aggressively pursued the adaptation rights to the novel. With Moore’s rising star power, thanks to films like A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal, and Striptease, she was a prime contender to lead the project. Her company’s interest led to a bidding war involving other major names in Hollywood, with actors like Whoopi Goldberg, Salma Hayek, Claire Danes, and Laurie Metcalf also expressing interest in roles or in producing the adaptation. Discussions surrounding the role of Glinda brought up high-profile names such as Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Emma Thompson.
Stephen Schwartz, who eventually composed the music and lyrics for the Broadway version of Wicked, envisioned the story as a musical even before reading the novel. However, at the time, efforts were focused on a traditional film adaptation. Despite Moore’s involvement, the project faced challenges. Moore, while suited for the role of Elphaba, was not interested in performing the singing herself, which added complexity to the adaptation process.
Over time, the project stalled as no workable script materialized. Schwartz eventually persuaded the rights holders to allow him to adapt the story into a stage musical instead. This pivot led to the Broadway debut of Wicked in 2003, where it became a cultural phenomenon and one of the most successful musicals of all time.
Decades later, the long-awaited film adaptation finally materialized under producer Marc Platt. Released in 2024, the movie starred Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, earning unprecedented box-office success.
Although the original vision for a 1990s film adaptation never came to fruition, the story of how Wicked transformed from a potential Hollywood production into a Broadway sensation and, ultimately, a record-breaking movie underscores the enduring appeal of its narrative and the creative possibilities of reimagining classic tales. Fans now eagerly await the sequel, Wicked: For Good, set to hit theaters on November 21, 2025.
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