Glee Creator Ryan Murphy and Rob Marshall Among Directors Touted for Wicked Movie

Sounds like the Wicked movie may be close to finding a wizard of its own! Continued plans for a film adaptation have begun to move forward as producer Marc Platt, composer Stephen Schwartz and bookwriter Winnie Holzman have met with prospective film directors interested in the project, according to Deadline.com. Directors pursuing the film include Ryan Murphy, Rob Marshall, J.J. Abrams and James Mangold. No casting or start date has been announced.

Murphy is the executive producer of the hit TV series Glee and wrote and directed several episodes during its first season. He also helmed the TV series Nip/Tuck and Popular and the film adapatation of Augusten Burroughs' memoir Running With Scissors (which featured original Wicked star Kristin Chenoweth) as well as the upcoming Eat, Pray, Love. Marshall receieved an Acadmey Award nomination for directing the film version of Chicago and six Tony nominations for choreographing shows such as Cabaret and Kiss of the Spider Woman. He also directed last year's film version of Nine as well as the TV movie remake of Annie. Abrams created the hit TV series Lost, Felicity, Alias and Fringe and directed films such as Mission Impossible 3 and Star Trek. Mangold's directing credits include Knight & Day, Walk The Line, 3:10 to Yuma and Girl, Interrupted.

Universal, which helped produce the stage musical, will again take the reins. The studio also released the Mamma Mia! movie and is currently developing a sequel as well prepping to begin shooting the In the Heights movie later this year. Wicked isn't the only Wizard of Oz themed film in development. The animated Dorothy of Oz featuring the vocal work of Lea Michele and Kelsey Grammer is also in the works.

Winner of 26 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. The show tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, and how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. Wicked opened on Broadway on October 30, 2003, and continues to play to sold out houses at the Gershwin Theatre.