Musical Lovers Unite: 'Wicked' The Movie Is On Its Way To Theaters

"Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz" is making its way off-Broadway and into a movie theater near you.

The wildly popular story, based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel, "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," will hit theaters sometime between 2016 and 2017, according to producer Marc Platt.

The story is a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," and follows the lives of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch before their eventual falling out.

Platt, who spoke with Film Divider about the project, said the film would not be made until the team got it just right. He adds,

But the bar is very high for the creators of Wicked. Our show is still so strong everywhere, and we just set a record in both London and Edinburgh last week, and in Los Angeles, and we did on Broadway. Audiences enjoy that show so much that we are intending to move forward on the movie but aren't going to do so until we're satisfied in the material we have as a screenplay, and that the film will be every bit as satisfying as what we have on the stage.

Platt also confirmed writer Winnie Holzman, whose credits include "My So-Called Life" and "Huge," is on board as the screenwriter and Stephen Daldry, from "Billy Elliot," "The Reader" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," will direct the project.

"Wicked" is not only the top-grossing Broadway show, it is also the 11th longest-running show in Broadway history.

Citations: Wicked producer Marc Platt gives an update on progress and that 2016 release date (Film Divider)