Meryl Streep's Song Reportedly "Cut" From Into the Woods & Unbroken Test Screens

Meryl Streep as The Witch and Mackenzie Mauzy as Rapunzel in Disney's "Into the Woods".

Remember that wonderful news that composer Stephen Soundheim wrote a new song just for Meryl Streep for the onscreen adaptation of "Into the Woods"? Remember how excited she was? Remember how excited we were? Well unfortunately, director Rob Marshall ("Chicago") tells us that the song has been cut from the film.

Marshall says of the song's exclusion, "It was beautiful and spectacular, but it was very clear, as good as the song was, that [the movie] was stronger without."

This raises eyebrows because certainly, this song would have been the nail in the coffin as Streep's "clip moment" for her FYC campaign (whether she be campaigned in Leading Actress or Supporting). The role of The Witch, however, is still a marquee role, played by Streep so I'm not worried in terms of her achieving recognition. However, it would have been pretty cool to see is all, especially if it was "spectacular" as Marshall puts it.

Marshall goes on to say that earlier rumors of "conservative changes" to the story are completely untrue:

"It's a very grown-up piece in many ways, and there's a lot of entertainment and a lot of fun to it, but it doesn't shy away from any of those adult themes... I'm actually really impressed Disney's doing this film, because it's very brave. I don't feel we've watered it down in any way, shape, or form. W've just made a film. But I never thought in terms of 'the Disney of it all', ever. None of us did."

You can read the full interview with Marshall here.

On the other side of the Oscar pond, buzz for Angelina Jolie's epic "Unbroken" is heating up, as the film has reportedly test screened. I'll let you make of the response as you will, but to me, it seems very positive; I never doubted for a second this was going to be a true blue Oscar contender. Though, one has to remember that not everyone is always as taken with something as someone else; one person's "YAAASSS" could be another's "meh", so it should be taken with a grain of salt (though we can safely assume the flick will be a presence in the race, the jury is still out on just how much of a presence).

Both Into the Woods and Unbroken will premier on Christmas Day in theaters.

Take a look at which categories I'm predicting these films (and the other films) in my Oscar predictions.