Wicked director Jon M. Chu has officially moved his creative base to Paramount Skydance, signing a multi-year first-look film and television deal with the studio led by David Ellison.
The partnership marks a major shift for Chu, whose production banner Electric Somewhere previously operated under Warner Bros., where he directed acclaimed projects like Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights.
The new three-year deal, effective January 2, will see Chu and his team headquartered on the Paramount lot, working closely with Paramount Pictures co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, Motion Picture Group president Don Granger, and Paramount Television Studios president Matt Thunell.
A New Era for Jon M. Chu
Chu joins an elite group of creators with new Paramount Skydance deals, including Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, filmmaker James Mangold, and actor-producer Will Smith.
“Jon is one of the most visionary storytellers working today,” said Paramount executives in a statement. “His ability to craft films that balance spectacle, emotion, and cultural resonance makes him a perfect fit for the Paramount Skydance family.”
Riding the Success of Wicked: For Good
Chu’s move comes amid the continuing box office triumph of Wicked: For Good, which has already earned $393.3 million globally since its November release — including $270 million domestically and $122 million internationally.
The sequel follows the success of 2024’s Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, which grossed over $756 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation in history.
For Good has already been named one of the National Board of Review’s Top 10 Films of 2025, continuing the awards momentum of its predecessor, which won two Oscars from ten nominations.
Expanding Creative Horizons
Beyond Wicked, Chu has an ambitious slate of projects lined up across major studios. At Universal, he is set to direct a Britney Spears biopic, while at Warner Bros., he will take on a live-action Hot Wheels film.
Additionally, Chu is helming an animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! featuring Ariana Grande and Josh Gad, as well as a new stage-to-screen musical version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
With his diverse portfolio and track record of both commercial and critical success, Chu’s partnership with Paramount Skydance is expected to yield a new wave of high-concept, emotionally rich entertainment.
Jon M. Chu is represented by UTA, Artists First, Goodman Genow Schenkman Smelkinson & Christopher LLP, and ID PR.
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