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'Wicked' fans petition against James Corden being cast in film adaptation

LOS ANGELES - MAY 24: The Late Late Show with James Corden airing Monday, May 24, 2021, with guest Don Cheadle. (Photo by Terence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images)
'Wicked' fans are begging James Corden to say away from the film adaptation of the hit musical. (CBS via Getty Images)

Wicked fans have set up a petition to stop James Corden being cast in the big screen adaptation of the hit musical - clocking up over 27,000 signatures in just three days.

The 43-year-old British actor and TV presenter - best known for starring in BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey and hosting The Late Late Show in the US - has had less than favourable reviews for his performance in musical movie adaptations such as Cats and The Prom recently.

Ariana Grande and Widows star Cynthia Erivo have been announced as playing witches Glinda and Elphaba in the film version of The Wizard Of Oz origins stage show, which will be directed by Crazy Rich Asians filmmaker Jon M. Chu.

Read more: James Corden and Ariana Grande's end of lockdown skit blasted as 'out of touch'

Corden has not been cast in the Wicked movie, but a petition had been set up on change.org titled "Keep James Corden out of Wicked the movie."

Screengrab of James Corden and Ariana Grande in 'The Late Late Show' skit. (CBS)
The 'Wicked' musical is being adapted for the big screen starring Ariana Grande, but fans have begged James Corden not to join her. (CBS)

And the time of publication it has 27,608 signatures.

Corden's name trended on social media shortly after Wicked announced Grande and Erivo would star in the movie, with people imploring him to “stay away” from the project.

The Late Late Show host was panned last year for his “horrific” portrayal of a gay character in Netflix musical The Prom.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 09: In this handout photo provided by A.M.P.A.S. Rebel Wilson and James Corden stand backstage in cat costumes during the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on February 09, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Petit - Handout/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images)
'Cats' stars Rebel Wilson and James Corden attended the 2020 Oscars in cosume. (Getty Images)

It came just a year after his performance in the Cats movie - which was ridiculed by critics and even fell flat with the musical's writer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Baron Lloyd Webber voiced his dislike of Corden's “unfunny interpolations”, admitting he "begged" to have them cut out of the film.

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Corden starred as The Baker in Rob Marshall's big screen adaptation of West Musical Into The Woods in 2014.

And he recently performed dressed as a rat on a Los Angeles traffic crossing to promote new Amazon Prime musical movie Cinderella, along with its stars Camila Cabello, Billy Porter and Idina Menzel as part of his Crosswalk: The Musical segment for The Late Late Show.

Watch: James Corden recreate Casino Royale with Daniel Craig