Universal has been developing a big screen adaptation of the smash hit musical Wicked since 2004, the year after the Wizard of Oz based show made its debut on Broadway, but now it looks like filming has been pushed back yet again, as the movie now looks to completely shift production from Atlanta, Georgia, to the U.K. when it finally gets underway next year. Considering how long the movie has been in development, it is hard to believe that the script is still not complete, and this latest hitch in production means that filming will now move from March to June next year, when its relocation will see Wicked become the first movie filmed at Universal-owned Sky Studios in Elstree.

Wicked is based on the novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, which was adapted into the 2003 musical, which starred Idina Menzel, years before she would become known as the voice of Elsa in Disney's Frozen franchise, and Kristin Chenoweth, who has appeared in dozens of iconic Broadway shows in her career as well as numerous TV series and movies. The story of Wicked provides a prequel to the L. Frank Baum Oz novels, telling of Elphaba and Glinda, who go on to known as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North in the future of the Land of Oz, and produced a number of hit songs written by Stephen Schwartz.

The production has been the subject of many delays during development, including the loss of director Stephen Daldry, who was attached to the project for many years throughout its troublesome production. The film was originally scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 22nd this year, but obviously that was lost a while ago and as yet there has been no further release date added to the schedule. While current director Jon M. Chu, who this year has had both critical success and a box office calamity with In The Heights, and producers Marc Platt and David Stone have been instructed "to proceed full steam ahead" with the movie, The Hollywood Report noted that the film has apparently not yet been officially green lit by Universal. Considering the original plan was to start shooting in March, and there currently being no cast or indeed any rumors of who could be taking on any of the roles, it all seems like the shift to June will be a welcome relief to all involved.

While there are some fans who have called for the stars of the original Broadway show to appear in the movie as the two lead witches, a number of fan campaigns have cited many other actresses to be cast as Elphaba and Glinda, including one earlier this year that suggested Anna Kendrick and Amanda Seyfried should take over the roles.

Kendrick responded to the suggestion back in April, telling E! News, ""These questions are always tricky to answer, to not create a thing. I mean, obviously Wicked is a masterpiece and a classic. It's an iconic show, and that's all I'll say about that."

Kendrick has demonstrated her vocal abilities as part of the Pitch Perfect ensemble cast in three hit movies as well as her starring role in Into The Woods, while Seyfried took the lead role in the screen version of Mamma Mia!, but whether either of them will even feature in a shortlist of potential candidates for the roles remains to be seen, but based on the movie's new timeline, it would seem like casting is surely not too far away. This story originated at The Hollywood Reporter.