A film adaptation of the stage musical was speculated, with original Broadway cast members Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and Idina Menzel as Elphaba mentioned as possible film leads. Lea Michele and Amy Adams have also been rumored to be potential leads. Potential writers include Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz. J. J. Abrams, Rob Marshall and Ryan Murphy have been mentioned as possible candidates for director. In December 2012, following the success of "Les Misérables", Marc E. Platt announced the film was going ahead, later confirming the film was aiming for a 2016 release. After long development, Universal announced in 2016 that the film will be released in theaters on December 22, 2021, with Stephen Daldry directing. However, on April 1, 2020 (April Fools Day), they delayed the film's release date because of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on cinema, and gave "Sing 2" the 2021 release date. On October 20, 2020, it was announced that Daldry had left the production due to scheduling conflicts. After Daldry's departure, rumors began surfacing that Steven Spielberg may be eyed to take over for him. In February 2021, it was announced that Jon M. Chu would direct the film.