The movie version of "Wicked" has become a massive success, grossing over $530 million worldwide and receiving high praise for the performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
However, an intriguing look back at the movie's early development shows that the casting could have looked quite different, with Demi Moore potentially stepping into the role of the legendary green-skinned Elphaba.
In the late 1990s, the project was initially optioned by Moore's production company, Moving Pictures.
Producer Marc Platt recalled to Vanity Fair that when he took on the role of president of production at Universal, the project had already generated interest.
Gregory Maguire's novel, "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," was seen as a prime candidate for adaptation, with its narrative and strong characters.
Michelle Pfeiffer, Emma Thompson and Nicole Kidman were reportedly considered to play Glinda.
Moore was considered a top choice for Elphaba due to her star power at the time.
The pursuit of "Wicked" also attracted other big names, including Whoopi Goldberg, who was eager to secure the rights for her own production.
Producer Suzanne Todd mentioned that Goldberg's manager was vying to purchase the rights for her and was clear that there was a deep interest in bringing the complex story of Oz's misunderstood witch to life.
As the project moved into the screenwriting phase, Linda Woolverton, who is popular for her work on Disney classics, delivered a draft that Platt described as a "fairly faithful adaptation."
Woolverton's vision focused on Elphaba as a warrior and portrayed the Wizard as an authoritarian leader, aligning with the themes of Maguire's book.
Woolverton also suggested transforming the story into a musical, drawing from her experience in Disney musicals.
According to Platt, "It was, as I recall, a fairly faithful adaptation of a very big, dense, thick novel. The focus was Elphaba as the warrior and The Wizard as this authoritarian leader, which is very much the DNA of Gregory's book."
Despite the promising beginnings, Woolverton's script ultimately did not come to fruition.
Todd explained, "Linda is the one who really wanted to do a musical. The idea came from her work at Disney, where she had also worked on the musicals of those animated films."
Stephen Schwartz, who recognized the potential for "Wicked" as a musical, successfully secured the rights and paved the way for its later success on stage, which would eventually lead to the film we know today.
