Tower Heist Helmer Brett Ratner Calls Wicked Film His Dream Project

Another Hollywood A-lister may have thrown his hat in the ring to direct the film adaptation of Broadway blockbuster musical Wicked. Movie director Brett Ratner has called helming a screen version of the Stephen Schwartz-penned show his “dream project,” according to The New York Times,

Ratner, the director behind the upcoming action-comedy Tower Heist, is famous for his work on the Rush Hour trio of Jackie Chan-led action comedies and X-Men: The Last Stand. While a musical might seem like an unlikely project to add to such a resume, Ratner told the paper that he was ready to tackle films that no one expects him to make.

Ratner might have to get in line, because previously announced directors pursuing the film include Ryan Murphy (Glee), Rob Marshall (Chicago), J.J. Abrams (Lost) and James Mangold (Walk the Line).

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. Wicked opened on Broadway on October 30, 2003, and continues to play to sold-out houses at the Gershwin Theatre.