Meryl Streep brings the Wicked Witch Realness to ‘Into the Woods’: amazing?

My musical theater geek extends to such musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita (the Patti LuPone recording), My Fair Lady and Rent. I never really got into Into the Woods, but I’ve been seeing all of the hardcore musical theater geeks have nerdgasms over the first set photos from the film adaptation all week. While I enjoyed seeing Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Christine Baranski and Emily Blunt in their fairy tale costumes, I didn’t have a proper nerdgasm until I saw this official Disney photo ^^ of Meryl Streep as the Wicked Witch. God, how much do you love Meryl? Meryl is without ego, right? Because she looks awful and scary. Meryl Streep will terrify small children.

Into the Woods is being directed by the chief musical theater geek of all time, Rob Marshall, whose last musical film was Nine. Nine was not beloved by critics, but I actually enjoyed it and I thought Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz and even Kate Hudson all gave great performances. Rob assembled an interesting cast for Into the Woods – in addition to Streep, Kendrick, Pine, Baranski and Blunt, he also cast… Johnny Depp! Depp is The Wolf looking for Little Red Riding Hood. Do these photos get you excited?

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and Disney.

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30 Responses to “Meryl Streep brings the Wicked Witch Realness to ‘Into the Woods’: amazing?”

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  1. ncboudicca says:

    I love Christine Baranski and the costumes look great

  2. Amy Tennant says:

    Barnadette Peters forever.

    • fabgrrl says:

      Yes! She was awesome.

    • RocketMerry says:

      YES!! 1 000 000 000 times YES!

      Although, I’ve been waiting forever for Meryl to play a witch; about time and cannot wait!
      I’ll totally go see this.

    • apsutter says:

      She’s so awesome! She’s coming to Buffalo to sing with the philharmonic this weekend and I’m so bummed that I’m going to miss it.

  3. Mia 4S says:

    YES!! I know there will be changes but I don’t care. Into the Woods on the big screen with an Oscar winning director. Love it!

    Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine would have very pretty, and very pale, babies. 😉

    • Anna says:

      Baransky and Streep get me the most excited. This movie (and musical) have been totally under the radar for me, till these photos.

  4. MonicaQ says:

    You said “Nine” and I thought about the movie with the cute robots. I went, “How could you not like that movie?!”

  5. emmie_a says:

    For some reason Anna Kendrick as Cinderella bothers me — but I love Christine Baranski and of course Meryl can do no wrong. The costumes are amazing.

    • Ellen says:

      When I first heard about the casting, I had a moment of doubt about Kendrick, but the more I think about it, the more I think she will be perfect. Can you imagine Pine being smarmy and her thinking, “I do not KNOW about you, dude”? Sondheim wrote a Cinderella with attitude.

      Also, I cannot WAIT to see Kendrick and Blunt together on “A Very Nice Prince.” And Blunt and Pine on “Moments in the Wood”? OMG it’s going to be a long, long wait until next Christmas.

    • Arock says:

      I just don’t get her as an actress but Emily blunt will be amazing

    • Nono says:

      I don’t mind that. I just hate that Depp’s in the movie. He’s soured me with his Burton/Carter movies so much that I just can’t watch movies with him in them anymore.

  6. paola says:

    It cracks me up watching people wearing those costumes with shades 😀
    loooove Meryl. She really is the best.

    • fabgrrl says:

      That’s me at a Renaissance Faire. I always end up whipping out my sunglasses and iphone :^(

    • tinyfencer says:

      In the broadway show the evil stepsisters wore sunglasses with their dresses after they were blinded. That could potentially be part of their costumes, actually.

      • Ellen says:

        Yeah, the wedding scene leads into “Ever After” (end of Act I) and the shades are part of the step-sister costumes.

        I was on a site yesterday that made a big deal out of Blunt showing her baby bump “even though the Baker’s wife is barren,” but by that point in the story, she IS pregnant. So now I’m wondering whether Blunt was padded or not. I’d think it would be funny to actually BE pregnant but have to wear a fake bump for a movie.

  7. brin says:

    This looks fantastic!

  8. lucy2 says:

    I can’t wait to see this – I’ve loved the musical since I was a kid, and this cast is amazing.

  9. Abby says:

    Holy shit…I didnt recognize Meryl in that getup. Pine looks so cute here.

    • ncmagnolia says:

      Upon first glance, I thought it was a picture of Helena Bonham Carter in costume. Not sure whether that’s a compliment or not.

  10. Emma13 says:

    The costumes!! I watch movies just to look at the costumes in action *sighs*

  11. Vesta says:

    The sight of Chris Pine and the thought of him in this. Let’s just say I’m not aroused…

    But I don’t know if Meryl looks awful here. I look like that…..like every morning. Am I supposed to think I look awful then 🙁

    • DreamyK says:

      Chris Pine is awesome in the Star Trek movies, but I’m not buying him in that period costume.

      Matt Bomer for Cinderella’s prince would have been epic. That man is so lovely.

  12. Seagulls says:

    I do not get the appeal of Anna Kendrick, but Streep? Baranski? Blunt? Yes!

  13. Used✝oBeLulu says:

    Meryl Streep makes an even better witch than Helena IMO.

  14. Madi says:

    Can’t wait to see Meryl doing the witch’s rap

    ‘He said, All right,
    But it wasn’t, quite,
    Cause I caught him in the autumn
    In my garden one night!’

  15. Marianne says:

    Into the Woods is one of my fave musicals. So on one hand I am really looking forward to this. On the other hand…I am kind of nervous about it. I have a feeling like it might end up badly. I think it was casting a lot of “big names” like Meryl and Johnny.

  16. JoanSummers says:

    Marianne I agree, I love the musical but I’m apprenhesive about the casting. Meryl is a TERRIBLE singer, she ruined Mama Mia with her frog voice. And Nine was awful too, the director’s niche seems to be casting pretty actors who can’t sing or dance for sh*t. I like Anna K though.

  17. Maria says:

    I hope it works out, but sometimes it’s hard to replace the energy of a live performance, especially with some of the humor in this musical.