hmmmm burton would do odd things to this I think... too dark and Wicked is not dark.

I hope they go somewhere in the middle. I haven't read the book but have seen the musical a couple of times, and when I took my hubby to see the musical he was really upset that they had changed important plot points from the book. The book is dark -- really dark -- and they totally sanitized the musical, according to him. I understand why they did it, but I guess I hope they'll stay a little truer to Gregory Maguire's story and make the movie a little more like the book.

UGH- I've always thought it should be a movie... but a SERIOUS movie. Not some stupid musical. Musicals are so annoying.

Stef- your husband is right on. The book is quite somber and has an overall theme of oppression. The play was cute, but the book was absolutely beautiful.

See I would say the opposite of foxie, the book is so dark and I really didn't enjoy it. But the musical is so fun and would be an enjoyable movie. I love Burton, but keep him away from it!

I would actually like to see the creator/director of Pushing Daisies take a stab at it.

Allyace I totally agree--I absolutely prefer the musical to the book and would love seeing it as a movie (I've thought this ever since Hairspray came out!). And I love the idea of a Pushing Daisies approach to it! Either way I would def. see this movie though!

And I would particularly love the move if a lot of the original broadway cast was in it (Esp. Kristen and Idina)

I didn't like the book or the musical

I agree Happsmjc, I would like to see the original cast too. Which would work great with Bryan Fuller directing since Kristen is on Pushing Daisies .

I can't WAIT for this! It's going to be great. I did love both the book and the musical, but I have to say that I think the musical is better. And the score is just breathtaking. Here's to hoping it'll stay a musical. AND, as much as I love Kristen and Idina, I think they're too old for the parts. I wouldn't want a Rent redux.

The book is one of my favorites, but I hated the musical! The semi-happy ending totally ruined it and there were parts of the books that I loved that were not in the musical.

Loved the musical, but not the book. Maybe if I'd read the book first, I'd have liked it. But it was so much darker than the wonderful musical that I didn't like it at all.

Loved the musical and love Allyace's suggestion about the Pushing Daisies approach, though I would like the film to lean toward the musical side.

Wicked would not be as widely known and loved if not for the musical. I say stay true to that genre!

i never read the book, but my sister did and told me all about it, and i was so surprised by how different the musical is from the book. however, i LOVED the musical. it was fun and very entertaining, and i will definitely be checking out the movie

I think Burton could pull this off well actually it's right up his alley....Sweeney Todd was amazing and it was nominated for an Oscar(Johnny Depp and for art direction)!

I've read the book and enjoyed it and been a HUGE fan of the musicals since it first came out on Broadway. I would have to say I would MUCH prefer them make the movie based on the musical. Honestly the reason people know what "Wicked" is is due to the largely successful musical, which has then brought attention to the book. I think there are so many fans of the musical out there, that if they tried to make the movie more about the book, there would be some backlash from the musical fans.

P.S. I would love to see Idina & Kristin reprise their roles, but I too would be nervous of their age, but really I can't imagine anyone else playing the parts of Elphie & Glinda nearly as well as them!

I would LOVE to see a movie based on the book. I think the book paints a much more realistic Oz, even if it is darker. I don't see what's wrong with a dark movie, though.

I could not make it through the book-- too dark, oppressive and filled with just disgusting, unnecessary and vile things. I didn't really care what the point of it was because I didn't enjoy the journey. I've tried reading other Gregory Maguire and I feel the same about his work as a whole. So-- not the book.

I absolutely loved the musical though! Is fun, smart and the songs are fantastic! I hope they use the musical as the basis.

Er, "it's" not Is!

Hands down it should be based on the musical! That's what made it famous and that's what people will be expecting. Look what happened when they turned Les Mis into a movie based on the book--it totally sucked! While Phantom of the Opera was great! Maybe they could borrow a few things from the book to enhance the movie--I don't know, I hated the writing style of the book and couldn't get through it--but overall I think they should stick to the musical.

The musical is so cute. The book... not so much. Kind of weird and I liked the way the musical explained things better.

I loved the musical when I saw it on Broadway, but I've never read the book. Sure, it's kind of campy, but the music is great. It would be fantastic to see Idinia and Kristen reprise their roles, though I doubt that will happen. All I ask is that they cast people who can actually sing, even if they aren't the biggest stars in Hollywood.

The musical is enjoyable and a pleasure to see. The book is so much darker and was so hard to get into. I do hope the movie is just an adaption of the musical. It would be more mainstream that way anyway and would draw in larger crowds.

book - i can't stand musical movies.

I've never seen the musical, but I find it odd that they can take a book that is rather sombre and dark and make it into something that people call "cute." I loved the book for the contrast that it had with the Wizard of Oz, the political undertones and parallels to our own world etc. I would like to see this as a serious film, closer to the book. I don't know about Tim Burton directing, I'd much rather have someone like Guillermo del Toro. He blended real-adult world and child-like fantasy so well in Pan's Labyrinth, I think his style would suit the book perfectly, without being too campy and silly.

tim burton will kill it. booo to tim b.

this is my favorite musical. someone should do it like they did 'the wiz' keep it the same, but make it so much bigger on film.

I think they should do both. I would love seeing a musical in movie form. But I think that a movie based on the book would be good as well, although I honestly think that the fan base would be smaller. There are a lot of themes and motifs in the book that I personally don't think would translate well to most audiences.

i really really hope idina and kristen are in it! how amazing would that be

I could not get into the book at all.....I got more than 3/4 of the way through thinking it would get better and it just didn't......so I gave up on it. I still need to see the musical though. I'd see the movie too

I hope it would be a little bit of both, the musical and the book were both good but the book was too dark sometimes. Either way, I am so excited to see Wicked as a movie! I love this musical and I have been hoping that they would adapt it into a film. I wonder who will play Galinda and Elphaba. Hmmm...

i was extremely disappointed with the musical. sweeney todd (on stage) is an excellent example of a somber musical that is successful and poignant. there was strong social commentary in maguire's book, and his ideas were not brought to maturity in the musical.

i think kristin chenoweth and idina menzel created roles worthy of carrying a successful broadway musical, but were not given the opportunity to carry the weight of the characters gregory maguire wrote. and really, i'm not sure they could have if that's the task they were given. and i say this as a fan of each of them.

i would prefer a movie of the book, with the violence, and the racism, and the hate, and the demons that elphie carries with her, witnessing a transformation into the wicked witch that doesn't end with a kitchy semi happy ending.

I saw the musical and LOVED it! I read the book to see if it would provide more detail about the characters and was stunned at how different they are. I really enjoyed the book too but really, only the names were the same, all else was changed. I wonder that Gregory Maguire could be happy with the musical since it completely changed the story that he originally envisioned.

Having said that, I think the movie should be made from the musical rather than the novel - it will have greater audience appeal. Hollywood loves a happy ending.

I've seen the musical two times and am addicted to the music!
There is no way to describe what seeing and hearing DEFYING GRAVITY is like when you see it in person from the third row center! A musical would be amazing, especially if they keep it along the plot of the musical (including the amazing costumes), and then could make it even better with special effects. Don't ruin it by using Tim Burton. He has his place, but not with this charming story. I've read the book, and like many others, thought it was terrible after I'd seen the musical.

Idina Menzel and Kristen Cheneworth would be great in the roles. Can't wait to see this musical movie!

In my opinion, the musical just made a mess of the book. Yeah, the songs are fun and super happy, but you completely lose the book's message. Plus, if they ever make a sequel (Son of a Witch), then they are screwed. I'd rather see it as a dark fairytale than a quirky one.

It really depends on where they wanted to take the franchise. If they want to continue on with Maguire's books, then they would need to base the movie on the book and maybe add in some of the songs and the quirkness. The musical leaves out some of the stuff that gets carried over to the next book (Son of a Witch) and like I said, if they wanted to make a movie based on each book, then they would have to rely heavily on the first book instead of the musical.

wow, if this movie gets screwed up i will be so sad i hope they make it more deep and a little more serious then the musical. i mean, obviously the musical was amazing, i just hope they do it more... deep and stuff. yeah. and no rlly huge ppl for the cast, that kinda ruins it.... they need to choose the cast for quality and not fame.

Personally, I think a musical would do well. Not only as it brings attention to the book, rather than the book bringing attention to the movie...but singing and dancing worked with the original Wizard of Oz....why not follow in those footsteps? I mean, it became pop-U-lar enough to have had someone recreate the story...Not only that, but I live in a small town which doesn't get too many productions. I want the book, I'll read it...if I want the musical, well...I'm still waiting:P

not sure how true this is but I have heard talk about Reese Witherspoon being in this movie. I think that would really be interestin!!

Some friends and I who have both read the book and seen the musical have discussed this at length (yes, we're theater geeks), and all feel that for a theatrical release, go with the musical. It's hugely popular, and the plot is already whittled to a reasonable length for a feature. Naturally, get Kristin and Idina back to reprise their roles. While I desperately want to see an adaptation of the novel, I think it should be done as a miniseries, obviously on one of the premium cable channels like HBO so it doesn't have to be sanitized. Then, of course, it could be released as a nice multi-disc set.

The film should definitely be based on the book. I've read the book twice, and absolutely fell in love with it. It really is very interesting, actually getting into Elphie's head. I saw the musical July 15th in London, liked the songs but hated how the original story was taken away. The mystery, the love, the passion...had all disappeared. If they made the film based on the novel, they could make sequels. As for the 'inappropriate' scenes, they can just cut them out a little, it's not absolutely necessary. I really missed the true friendship between Glinda and Elphie, and Elphie and Fiyero's love for each other. It's so much more real and passionate in the novel.