Wicked Director’s New Deal Signals His Next Film May Be Outside Universal
Fresh off two Wicked wins for Universal, Jon M. Chu has inked a three-year producing deal at Paramount — a pivot that hints his next film may land outside the Universal fold.
Jon M. Chu just made a strategic studio move that could signal where his next phase is headed. After delivering Universal a monster two-parter with Wicked, he is setting up shop at Paramount under a brand-new producing pact. Translation: the next thing he makes might not be for Universal, even though he still has projects cooking there.
The deal, in plain English
Paramount has closed a three-year first-look producing agreement with Chu that officially kicks off on January 2, 2026. He is bringing his company, Electric Somewhere, onto the Paramount lot, where they will develop film and TV projects. On the very studio-side detail front, he will be working with execs including Dana Goldberg, Josh Greenstein, Don Granger, and Matt Thunell.
Quick refresher on what a first-look producing deal means: anything Chu develops under his banner goes to Paramount first. They can say yes, pass, or partner. It does not handcuff him from directing elsewhere, but it does give Paramount pole position on whatever he and Electric Somewhere generate.
Why Paramount wants him right now
Momentum. Chu’s two-part Wicked gamble paid off. The first film, released in 2024, turned into the highest-grossing movie ever adapted from a Broadway musical, pulling in more than 756 million dollars worldwide. The follow-up, Wicked: For Good, opened in November 2025 and landed one of the notable domestic openings of the year. Two weeks in, it had already banked about 401 million dollars globally.
What changes, what does not
This Paramount agreement replaces Chu’s prior first-look setup at Warner Bros. That said, replacing a first-look deal is not the same as torching every other commitment. He is still attached to several projects at multiple studios, so do not assume a clean break from anything already in motion.
What Chu already has on his plate
- Crazy Rich Asians sequel: still in development. The original earned 239 million dollars worldwide.
- Warner Bros: attached to direct a live-action Hot Wheels feature.
- Warner Bros: attached to an animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places Youll Go.
- Universal: set to direct a Britney Spears biographical film.
So, will his next movie be for Universal? Maybe, maybe not. The Paramount deal is producing-focused and starts in early 2026, but his directing slate is a multi-studio juggling act. If you are tracking the tea leaves, Paramount now gets first dibs on whatever he develops with Electric Somewhere, while the previously announced projects at Warner Bros and Universal are still very much in the mix.