'Wicked' release delayed, 'Minions' pushed to 2021 due to pandemic

Associated Press
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 1:53 p.m. | Wednesday, April 1, 2020 1:53 p.m.

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Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures via AP

This image released by Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures shows characters from left) Kevin, Gru, voiced by Steve Carell and Stuart in a scene from “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”

“Wicked” fans are going to have to wait even longer to see Stephen Daldry’s film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical. Universal Pictures on Wednesday announced that another handful of theatrical release dates are shifting due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has bumped “Wicked” off the calendar entirely for the moment.

The studio said that “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” which was unable to be finished for its planned summer 2020 release because of the outbreak, is being pushed back a year to July 2021. “Sing 2” will now come out on “Wicked’s” original date of Dec. 22, 2021.

Hollywood studios have been scrambling to revise business plans amid the pandemic, which has closed theaters nationwide and halted productions indefinitely. The summer movie season has already taken a hit, with the recent postponements of “Wonder Woman 1984,” “F9” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife.” And a handful of films have been taken off the calendar including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights,” Marvel’s “Black Widow” and the Tom Hanks World War II drama “Greyhound.”

Universal says that “Wicked” will be restored to the release calendar at a later time.