John M. Chu Signs Three-Year Deal With Paramount Pictures

I haven’t really covered how John M. Chu’s “Wicked: For Good” is underperforming at the box office. Sure, it’s racked up $275 million at the box office, but its predecessor had a $475 million tally, which “For Good” will not even come close to.

That said, Chu is packing his bags and headed to Paramount—he’s signed a three-year first-look deal with the studio.

Chu previously had a deal at Warner Bros. Discovery. He is currently co-directing an adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” for Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. The Paramount deal will go into effect on Jan. 2, 2026.

Chu’s plate is already full: there’s his “Hot Wheels” movie for Warner Bros., as well as “Split Fiction” for Amazon MGM, starring Sydney Sweeney; his Britney Spears biopic; “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”; and a “Crazy Rich Asians” TV show.

It’s been interesting to witness Chu’s ascent in Hollywood. He was once known as the director of 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asians.” His other credits include “Now You See Me 2,” “In the Heights,” “Jem and the Holograms” “Step Up 2: The Streets,” “Step Up 3D,” and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.” The ‘Wicked’ franchise has absolutely changed the game for him.

David Ellison has been on a rapid pace to restore Paramount’s status as a true heavyweight in Hollywood, an effort he wants to accelerate with his bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. He has already confirmed an overview of releasing 20 films annually, and earlier this month he fast-tracked that plan, aiming to reach 15 films by next year.

The deal between Paramount and Chu is the latest made by Ellison, who also signed Will Smith, the Duffer Brothers, and James Mangold to deals. Prior to the merger, the studio struck first-look deals with Damien Chazelle (“La La Land”) and Parker Finn (“Smile”).

In the meantime, Chu is weighing in on what his next film might be, after that Dr. Seuss animated movie. Of the projects mentioned, “Hot Wheels” seems closest down the pipeline.