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Jon M. Chu, director of the two-part Wicked movie, has signed a new first-look deal with Paramount Pictures and Paramount Television Studios.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new deal begins January 2, 2026, and will see Chu and his production company, Electric Somewhere, work to develop and produce new movie and TV projects for the studio. Chu previously worked with Warner Bros. on Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights, before helming Wicked for Universal.
The Paramount news is the latest in a line of projects for Chu, which includes a film of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a biopic about pop star Britney Spears, a movie adaptation of the video game Split Fiction, a live-action Hot Wheels movie, and an animated musical of Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Chu is also set to executive-produce a spin-off series based on Crazy Rich Asians, following the 2018 movie, which he directed, along with a stage musical adaptation. His directional credits also include the film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, which hit theaters in 2021.
Chu’s most recent film is Wicked: For Good, the second installment of the two-part Wicked adaptation. Opening on November 21, the movie brought in $150 million in North America during its opening weekend, plus $76 million internationally, bringing its global total to $226 million. Wicked: For Good marks the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway musical, beating a record set by the first film last year.
Wicked: Part One film brought in $112.5 million during its opening weekend in 2024. By the end of its theatrical run, it grossed over $756 million worldwide. Domestically, it became one of the top 50 highest-grossing movies in the United States of all time, and was also the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical in the U.S. upon its release.
Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. Part One of Wicked received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas
