Abrams, Murphy, Marshall, and Mangold in Talks to Helm WICKED Film?

According to Deadline.com, the much-speculated WICKED film is finally on the move.

Producer Marc Platt, screenwriter Winnie Holzman, and composer Stephen Schwartz have recently been meeting with potential directors -- including JJ Abrams (2009's 'Star Trek,' 'Lost'), James Mangold ('Walk the Line'), Ryan Murphy ('Glee'), and Rob Marshall ('Chicago,' 'Nine'). More meetings are expected to continue this fall.

Universal Pictures, attached to produce the film, is also producing the upcoming IN THE HEIGHTS film and is reportedly looking to take BILLY ELLIOT back to the big screen.

WICKED, the smash hit musical that the New York Times called, "one of the most successful shows in Broadway history" continues its run at the Gershwin on Broadway. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED's music and lyrics is composed by Stephen Schwartz and includes a book written by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. WICKED is a production of Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Winner of 20 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. "Wicked" tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.