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Stephen Schwartz is spilling the Ozian tea. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the songwriter is currently working on a new Wicked spin-off movie alongside book writer Winnie Holzman and has now shared some more details about the project.
During a recent interview with The National, Schwartz confirmed that it will serve as a follow-up movie musical to both Wicked and The Wizard of Oz. Tentatively called Ozma, the project would be based on L. Frank Baum’s The Marvelous Land of Oz and would tell the story of Princess Ozma (also known as Tip), who is a significant character in the original Baum novels. Schwartz would once again write the songs, with Holzman penning the screenplay.
“I feel a little funny announcing this, because I don’t know that it will happen, but we’re at work on it,” said Schwartz. “We went to Universal and they’re very interested. So we’re going to see if it will lead somewhere.” Schwartz says the idea came from producer George Makrinos, who wrote the Ages of Oz book series under the pseudonym Gabriel Gale.
The project would mark a departure from Wicked, which is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel. “Full marks to Gregory, because telling the Oz story from the Wicked Witch’s point of view was a genius idea,” said the songwriter. “This is more a direct adaptation of what Baum wrote, although it has its own spin,” he explained, noting the rich world that the author created. “…He had some very interesting stories that he told subsequent to that first book, and that’s what we’re playing around with now.”
Though Schwartz hasn’t spoken about the movie to director Jon M. Chu, who helmed the films, he has spoken to producer Marc Platt, who worked on both the stage and film versions of Wicked. “…We’re very comfortable developing something with Marc,” he shared.
Schwartz previously talked about the project last November, saying that “the Glinda and Elphaba story feels complete — but there are other aspects that could be explored,” calling it “not a sequel, but an adjunct.”
The two-part film is based on the world-renowned musical with music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The show is loosely adapted from the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, “WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” Maguire was inspired by the literary classic by L. Frank Baum, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
Since its first show on Broadway in October 2003, Wicked has been seen by over 65 million people and played in 16 countries. Currently the 4th longest-running show in Broadway history, Wicked is in its 23rd year on Broadway. Part 1 of the blockbuster film adaptation opened on November 22, 2024, with the second part, Wicked: For Good, opening on November 21, 2025.
The second film, Wicked: For Good, grossed $150 million in North America during its opening weekend in 2025, in addition to $76 million internationally, for a global total of $226 million. Wicked: For Good marked the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway musical, beating a record set by the first film in 2024.
Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas
