Marshall was quick to caution that the cut had nothing to do with Streep's performance. "I don't think people will be remotely ready to hear her sing this material," he told Entertainment Weekly. "The power from her is off the charts."
Into the Woods is a cinematic adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's Broadway musical that originally starred Bernadette Peters, Joanna Gleason, and Chip Zien. The play mashes up a number of classic fairy tales, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstock, and more. The film stars Meryl Streep (the Witch), James Corden (the Baker), Emily Blunt (the Baker's Wife) Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), and Johnny Depp (the Wolf).
There's no word whether Streep's cut song may still make it's way into the film's closing credits, which would still make it eligible for a Best Original Song Oscar nomination. Many film adaptations of musicals add a new song, since Academy rules preclude songs previously released from being eligible for Best Original Song. Chicago skirted this by including a song that had been written for but ultimately cut from the Broadway productions. Other movie musicals that have scored Oscar nominations for new songs include "You Must Love Me" in the 1996 film Evita, and "Listen," "Love You I Do," and "Patience" in the 2006 film Dreamgirls and "Suddenly" in the 2012 film Les Miserables.
