SAG Strike Halts Production of ‘Wicked’ Film Adaptation

The production of the much-anticipated film adaptation of ‘Wicked’ appears to have been abruptly halted due to the instigation of the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actor’s Guild) industrial action.

The dispute, preventing actors from both performing in and promoting American productions, including numerous ventures filmed abroad, was initiated earlier this week over a myriad of contentious issues. Negotiation impasses between the union and production companies concerned the residual compensation for streamed performances, namely the earnings received by creative teams each time a show is streamed, as well as the deployment of AI in film and television productions.

This industrial action has naturally resonated on UK shores. ‘Wicked’, headlined by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and based on the cherished Broadway and West End musical, has suspended filming operations as of today, leaving the sets barren. The strike’s duration remains uncertain.

Both Grande and Erivo have demonstrated their support for the strikers via social media posts, as has ‘Wicked’ veteran Kristin Chenoweth, rumoured to be in the film’s cast. Chenoweth further expressed her intent to return to the UK soon, to which Grande responded with a bubble emoji, a reference to Chenoweth’s original stage character, Glinda, renowned for her bubble transport.

The implications of the SAG-AFTRA strike for UK-based productions are complex. Certain productions, owing to their predominantly UK-based cast members affiliated with the UK union Equity, such as ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff ‘House of the Dragon’, are expected to continue. While Equity has demonstrated support for SAG-AFTRA, it has not yet initiated any industrial action of its own. Meanwhile, other UK-based projects, including the sequel to ‘Beetlejuice’, are likely to be impacted.

Previous reports hinted that ‘Wicked’, slated for a two-part film release with the first segment due in November 2024, was nearing completion, having filmed for several months in the UK. Any potential delays to the premiere owing to the strike are yet to be announced.

‘Wicked’, based on the acclaimed novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire, tells the tale of an unlikely friendship at university in the land of Oz, leading to one becoming Glinda The Good and the other, the Wicked Witch of the West. ‘Wicked’ writers Winnie Holzman (book) and Stephen Schwartz (score) are joining forces for the screenplay.

2023 also marks the 20th anniversary of the original Broadway production, while the West End run is currently in its 17th year, having captivated 11 million viewers. A UK tour is also slated to commence in late 2023, suggesting fans may see it on stage prior to its cinematic release.