Demi Moore’s 1990s Attempt at a Non-Musical 'Wicked' Movie Resurfaces

Before the Broadway hit and its record-breaking film adaptation, Demi Moore's production company pursued a non-musical version of 'Wicked' in the late 1990s.

• Demi Moore's production company, Moving Pictures, acquired the rights to Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' in the late 1990s.
• The project was envisioned as a straightforward film adaptation without musical elements, with Moore reportedly interested in playing Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
• Several high-profile actors, including Whoopi Goldberg, Claire Danes, Salma Hayek, and Laurie Metcalf, expressed interest in the adaptation, while names like Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer were considered for Glinda.
• Development challenges, including budget concerns and creative direction, stalled the project, and a script was never completed before Moore's company moved on.
• Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the eventual Broadway musical, convinced the rights holders to pivot toward a stage production, leading to the globally successful 2003 musical and its record-breaking 2024 film adaptation.

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