The film adaption of the Broadway musical Wicked has been given a release date from Universal over three years in advance.
The movie will hit theaters on Dec. 20, 2019, The New York Times reported. The only other movie scheduled for that date is an untitled live-action fairy tale movie from Disney.
Stephen Daldry will direct the adaption. Daldry has three Best Director Oscar nominations for Billy Elliot, The Hours and The Reader. He has won two Tony Awards for directing An Inspector Calls and Billy Elliot the Musical.
The musical is based on Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The novel was adapted for the stage by Winnie Holzman with music and lyrics from Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin). Holzman and Schwartz are also working on the film's screenplay, according to Variety.
The musical about the witches of Oz - originally played by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway - was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2004 and took home three for Best Actress (Menzel), Best Costume Design and Best Scenic Design.