“Wicked” editing completed at Universal includes All-Star cast of Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James

EXCLUSIVE: Universal and director Jon Chu have finalized their casting for the adaptation of the global hit Weak with Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James in the film. Keala Settle, Aaron Teoh and Colin Michael Carmichael also join the cast. They join previously announced cast members Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater.

Bode plays Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister. The character is a wheelchair user, much like Los Angeles resident Bode, who has performed in a number of plays and musicals since he was eight. Yang and James play Panne and ShenShen, respectively, classmates of Elphaba and Glinda at Shiz. Settle plays Miss Coddle, Teoh plays Avaric, and Carmichael plays Nikidik. The film will be released in two parts for Christmas 2024 and 2025.

Chu will direct the film, based on the three-time Tony Award-winning stage musical, an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s best-selling novel by three-time Academy Award-winning author Winnie Holzman.^®-Award-winning composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, who also helps adapt the script.

Weak is produced on Broadway by Universal Stage Productions, Platt, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and Stone. With a national tour and several international productions, the stage musical has been seen by more than 60 million people worldwide, making it one of the most successful theater projects of all time.

The original Broadway hit won more than 100 international awards, including a Grammy Award and three Tony Awards. Weak performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world (USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Switzerland and China) and has so far performed in translated into six languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese.

Marc Platt will produce for his Universal-based Marc Platt Productions. David Stone will also produce. Erik Baiers, senior executive vice president of production, and Lexi Barta, vice president of production development, will oversee the project on behalf of Universal.

Bode is a disabled actress and has performed in a number of plays and musicals since the age of eight. Little shop of horrors, The soothsayers, Peter Pan and Mary Poppins are just a few notable achievements. She also has an artistic education, having attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Also Marissa’s self-written, self-directed, self-produced short film You are cute was previously accepted into the 2021 Wisconsin Film Festival.

A favorite among audiences and critics across television, film and streaming, Yang has established himself as one of the most innovative and unique voices in comedy. Emmy nomination for his performance Saturday night livehe was seen in Hulu fire islandas well as that of Universal brothers. He also recently finished production on Universal’s self-titled Please Don’t Destroy project. James has made numerous appearances on stage and screen, most recently on television The Ballad of the Renegade Nell on Disney+ and Netflix Plywood & Co.

Settle received Tony nominations for performances on Broadway in hands on a hard body and on the movie page was also seen The greatest showman. Teoh is best known for his British musical theater credits We roll happily together, Me and the kingMovie: I you we you and Carmichael are featured in upcoming live action Snow White Image for Disney.

Bode is represented by DDO Artists Agency; Yang is represented by UTA, 3 doctor and attorney Isaac Dunham; James is represented by Piers Nimmo Management and Authentic Management; Organized by Creative Artists Management and Pakula King & Associates; Teoh from Byron’s management; Carmichael van Piers Nimmo Management and Authentic Management.