Jon M. Chu, Director of ‘Wicked’ Films, to Receive Career Recognition from Art Directors Guild
The Art Directors Guild (ADG) announced today that filmmaker Jon M. Chu, renowned for his work on Wicked and Wicked: For Good, will be honored with the 2026 Cinematic Imagery Award. The award will be presented during the ADG’s 30th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards on February 28 at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown.
This prestigious recognition is given to individuals whose contributions in film and television significantly enhance the visual experience for audiences.
“Between imagination and the screen, there is an entire world built by artists,” Chu stated. “On Wicked and Wicked: For Good, I witnessed firsthand how production designers, art directors, set decorators, and extraordinary crews created Oz not just as a setting but as a living, breathing emotional landscape. I share this honor with the countless craftspeople who poured their hearts into those worlds, and I am deeply grateful to the Art Directors Guild and its members for this recognition.”
Wicked was notably recognized at the 2025 Art Directors Guild Awards, where it emerged as one of the major winners. Production designer Nathan Crowley and set decorator Lee Sandales went on to win the Oscar for Production Design.
Before directing the blockbuster Wicked films, which have collectively grossed over $1.28 billion worldwide, Chu directed several notable projects including Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights, the documentary Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, and films such as Jem and the Holograms and sequels to Now You See Me, G.I. Joe, and Step Up. He is currently working on a live-action adaptation of Mattel’s Hot Wheels franchise, among other projects.
“Jon M. Chu’s work exemplifies the power of cinematic imagery to move audiences and deepen storytelling,” said Dina Lipton, President of the Art Directors Guild. “His bold visual language and unwavering commitment to collaboration have helped shine a spotlight on the essential role of the art department.”
Past recipients of the ADG’s Cinematic Imagery Award include luminaries such as Jason Reitman, Baz Luhrmann, Jane Campion, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, and George Lucas.
