WICKED Trailer 3 (2024) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande

WICKED Trailer 3 (2024) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande

WICKED Trailer 3 (2024) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande
© 2024 - Universal Pictures
Universal has officially released the first trailer for the beloved Broadway musical film adaptation, Wicked. Starring Ariana Grande as the titular Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the official three and a half minute long trailer sees the duo sing famous anthems like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.”

Theater lovers can catch a glimpse of the upcoming prequel to The Wizard of Oz in the trailer, giving fans a look at the events that happened before Dorothy made the choice to hit the yellow brick road and Elphaba was shunned for her green skin, becoming the Wicked Witch of the West. A story that is rooted in an unlikely friendship, later turned rivalry between Elphaba and Glinda, the trailer gives audiences a glimpse of that journey. Elphaba and Glindsa first met as classmates at Shiz University. The trailer begins by asking the crucial question, “Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” Setting the tone for the plot, the trailer follows Elphaba as she meets her roommate Glinda and is gifted a signature black which hat. Elphaba harnesses her powers and she travels to the Emerald City to face the Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum. Trouble begins to brew as the Oz plots to turn citizens against Elphaba, “The best way to bring folks together is to give ’em a really good enemy.” Elphaba later counters and says, “It’s the Wizard who should be afraid of me.”

The Wicked film adaptation is directed by Jon M. Chu of Crazy Rich Asians. Michelle Yeoh plays Shiz University headmaster Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq and Bowen Yang as Pfannee. The film arrives in two parts, with the first installment releasing on November 27, 2024 and the sequel on December 25, 2025.
Universal Pictures has released a new Trailer for the ‘Wicked’ movie directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo And Ariana Grande.

You can watch the new Trailer for the film below. You can also watch the previously released Trailer HERE!

‘Wicked’ is now scheduled to arrive in Theaters on November 22, 2024.

‘Wicked’ is directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay written by Winnie Holzman; Based on the musical Wicked, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire. The film’s cast includes Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle and Peter Dinklage.

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Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Here’s the first official trailer for Wicked Part 1, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, which dropped during this evening’s Super Bowl.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, the big-screen adaptation tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, originally based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, previously adapted into MGM’s classic 1939 film of the same name. The story is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, which examines how the green-skinned Elphaba (Erivo) became the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as the sorceress Glinda’s (Grande) trajectory to becoming known as the Good Witch. The big-screen adaptation was written by Winne Holzman, who penned the long-running stage production, and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldbum, Jonathan Bailey, and Ethan Slater also star.

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Marc Platt produced the pic through his Universal-based Marc Platt Productions, alongside David Stone, with Senior Executive Vice President of Production Erik Baiers and Vice President of Production Development Lexi Barta overseeing the project on behalf of the studio.

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Wicked will be broken into two parts with Wicked Part One slated to drop on Nov. 27, 2024. Chu previously shared on Instagram why they opted to make two films for the musical.

“As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years,” Chu said in an open letter posted on Instagram. “So we decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one Wicked movie but TWO!!!! With more space, we can tell the story of Wicked as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys of these beloved characters.”

Check out the trailer above.

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Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in “Wicked,” Courtesy of Universal Pictures

“Wicked,” which has been beloved and enduring on the stage for 20 years, finally makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular and generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.

Cynthia Erivo (Harriet in Broadway’s “The Color Purple“) plays Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood due to her unusual green skin, in The Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz. Ariana Grande, who is a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar, portrays Glinda, a well-liked young woman who is burdened by privilege and ambition and has not yet found her true self.

During their time as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz, the two formed an unlikely yet profound friendship. Power seduces Glinda due to her unwavering desire for popularity, whereas Elphaba’s will to be true to herself and those around her will lead to unexpected and shocking consequences in her future. The adventures they have in Oz will ultimately lead them to fulfillment of their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked 2

Jeff Goldblum is The Wizard of Oz, and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible in “Wicked,” Courtesy of Universal Pictures

The film also stars Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (“Bridgerton,” “Fellow Travelers“) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater (“Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants,” “Fosse/Verdon“) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.

The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Emmy nominee Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live“) and Bronwyn James (“Harlots“); a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Tony nominee Keala Settle (“The Greatest Showman“) and four-time Emmy winner Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones“) as the voice of Dr. Dillamond.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “In the Heights“), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.

“Wicked” is produced by Marc Platt (“La La Land,” “The Little Mermaid“), whose films, television shows and stage productions have earned a combined 46 Oscar nominations, 58 Emmy nominations and 36 Tony nominations, and by multiple Tony winner David Stone (“Kimberly Akimbo,” “Next to Normal“), with whom Platt produced the blockbuster Wicked stage musical. The executive producers are David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz and Jared LeBoff.

Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is adapted for the screen by the stage production’s book writer Winnie Holzman and by legendary Grammy and Oscar winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The Broadway stage musical is produced by Universal Stage Productions, Marc Platt, the Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Wicked 1

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in “Wicked,” Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Ozians are putting aside their panic for this one day, to celebrate!

The cause for commotion? Universal finally unveiled the first full-length trailer for its adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical. The dazzling, more than three-minute-long footage finally captures Ariana Grande‘s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba singing two of the show’s anthems, “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.”

A prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” “Wicked” recounts the events that happened before Dorothy followed that iconic yellow brick road and Elphaba, ostracized for her green skin, became the Wicked Witch of the West. It tells the story of the unlikely friendship (turned rivalry) of Elphaba and Glinda, who first met as classmates at Shiz University, and asks a central question: “Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”

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In the glittering trailer, Elphaba meets her (blonde!) roommate Glinda and gets gifted her signature black witch hat. Later, as Elphaba comes into her powers, she travels with Glinda to the Emerald City and comes face-to-face with the Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum). There are also flying monkeys, yellow bricks, silver slippers and plenty of pink and green.

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All the while, trouble is brewing in Oz as the Great and Terrible conjures a plan to turn the citizens against Elphaba, who discovers the Wizard has no real magical abilities. “The best way to bring folks together is to give ’em a really good enemy,” the Wizard says. Elphaba later counters: “It’s the Wizard who should be afraid of me.”

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Jon M. Chu, the filmmaker of “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights,” is directing the two-part adaptation. The cast also includes Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University headmaster Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq and Bowen Yang as Pfannee. The first installment is scheduled for Nov. 27 with the sequel to follow on Nov. 26, 2025.

Prior to the trailer’s debut, Universal unveiled a featurette titled “Passion Project,” in which Chu and his two leading ladies reflected on making the films.

“I had the incredible privilege of seeing the original Broadway cast of ‘Wicked’ when I was 10, and I just felt an immediate bond,” said Grande, who, in getting the part of Glinda, promised, “I’m gonna take such good care of her.”

Erivo tearfully added, “It’s been a really long journey here, and I’m really grateful for it. I never thought in my lifetime that I would get to be part of something like this.”

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Ding dong! The wicked witch is alive and well in the first trailer for “Wicked.”

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are a vision in green and pink as they grace the fantastical land of Oz in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming movie musical. And the first look at the film, which debuted during the Super Bowl on Sunday, unfolds to the familiar strains of “Defying Gravity,” the show’s signature anthem.

“Don’t be afraid,” Grande’s Glinda reassures Erivo’s Elphaba.

“I’m not afraid,” Erivo responds, steely voiced. “It’s the Wizard who should be afraid of me.”

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This is clearly a different Oz than the one that Dorthy Gale encountered. Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel that inspired Broadway’s acclaimed musical of the same name, “Wicked” precedes Dorothy’s arrival in the magical world and tells the legend of world and the story behind Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. Grande’s Galinda Upland later becomes Glinda the Good Witch.

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The cast includes Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar; Ethan Slater as Boq; Bowen Yang as Pfannee; and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.

Goldblum’s idiosyncratic voice can also be heard in the visually sumptuous trailer, with his wily Wizard noting, “The best way to bring folks together is to give them a real good enemy.” And it seems like Elphaba might be the villain he’s hoping to exploit.

“Something just takes over me and when it does bad things happen,” Elphaba tells Glinda.

Chu’s version of the musical was filmed in two parts to properly adapt the story. “As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of ‘Wicked’ into a single film without doing some real damage to it,” Chu said back in 2022.

“As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years,” he added. “We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one ‘Wicked’ movie but two! With more space, we can tell the story of ‘Wicked’ as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

Composer Stephen Schwartz, songwriter for “Wicked,” explained that the curtain-closing number “Defying Gravity” was a large reason why the film had to be made in two parts. In a 2022 newsletter, Schwartz wrote, “We found it very difficult to get past ‘Defying Gravity’ without a break. That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic.”

“Wicked” wasn’t the only film to use the Super Bowl’s massive audience to offer fans a first look. “Deadpool 3” also debuted a trailer featuring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc With a Mouth and Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine.

The first part of Chu’s “Wicked” is set to hit theaters on Nov. 27, 2024. “Part Two” is slated for Nov. 26, 2025.

Watch the trailer below.

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The new trailer for the Wicked movie is here!

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star as Glinda and Elphaba in the film adaptation of the beloved Broadway show, which has been in the works for over a decade.

Other stars taking on roles include Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Bronwyn James as ShenShen, and Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond.

Wicked is being released in theaters on November 22, and you may not realize that the film has been split into two parts. Find out why they decided to film 2 movies instead of 1.

In addition, fans have been speculating that one of the original stars of Wicked will be making a cameo appearance in the movie after she was spotted by eagle-eyed fans in a recent TV spot.
Wicked (also known as Wicked – Part 1[3]) is an upcoming American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. It is the first of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which in turn was based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire and characters from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, with Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode (in her film debut), Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, and Peter Dinklage in supporting roles. Set in the Land of Oz, largely before Dorothy Gale's arrival from Kansas, the plot covers the events of the musical's first act, following green-skinned Elphaba's studies at Shiz University and the beginning of her path to ultimately becoming the Wicked Witch of the West, alongside an unlikely friendship and later rivalry with a classmate who later becomes Glinda the Good.[4]

Universal Pictures and Marc Platt, both of whom produced the stage musical, announced the film adaptation in 2012. After a long development and multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chu was hired to direct, with Erivo and Grande cast in their respective roles in 2021, along with the decision to split the film into two parts in order to meet the demands of the story's epic scope and to expand upon the journeys of and relationships between the characters without cutting any songs and major plot points. Principal photography on both films began in December 2022 in England, and was paused in July 2023 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, eventually resuming then concluding in January 2024.

Wicked will premiere in London on November 18, 2024, with a theatrical release in the United States scheduled for November 22, 2024. The sequel, Wicked Part Two, is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2025.

Premise
Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Galinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. After an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their lives begin to take very different paths.

Cast

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman born with green skin who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West[5][6]
Karis Musongole as young Elphaba[7]
Ariana Grande as Galinda Upland, a popular young woman who later becomes Glinda the Good[5][6]
Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, the Headmistress of Shiz University[8]
Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz[9]
Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, a Winkie prince who meets Elphaba and Galinda at school[10]
Ethan Slater as Boq, a Munchkin in love with Galinda[6]
Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Elphaba's paraplegic younger sister who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the East[11]
Bowen Yang as Pfannee, one of Galinda's college friends[11]
Bronwyn James as ShenShen, another of Galinda's college friends[11]
Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, a new character created for this film
Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond, a Goat and History professor at Shiz University[12]
Aaron Teoh as Avaric Tenmeadows, Fiyero's friend
Grecia de la Paz as Gilligan, a new character created for this film
Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikidik, another professor at Shiz University
Adam James as Galinda's father, a new character created for this film
Andy Nyman as Frexspar Thropp, Elphaba and Nessarose's father and the Governor of Munchkinland
Production
Development

Director Jon M. Chu (left) and composer Stephen Schwartz
In 2003, the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a revisionist exploration of the characters and setting of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was adapted as the Broadway musical Wicked. The musical was produced by Universal Pictures' stage division and directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. The Broadway production has inspired long-run productions in Chicago, London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, as well as Germany and Japan. It was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning three, and is the 4th longest-running Broadway show in history, with over 7,500 performances. The original Broadway production starred Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda.

In a 2009 interview, Maguire stated that he had sold the rights to ABC to make an independent non-musical TV adaptation of Wicked. It would not be based on Holzman's script.[13] On January 9, 2011, it was reported by Entertainment Weekly that ABC would be teaming up with Salma Hayek and her production company to create a TV miniseries of Wicked based solely on Maguire's novel. No further information, such as casting, had been revealed yet.[14]

Chenoweth and Menzel were mentioned as possible film leads. Lea Michele and Amy Adams were also rumored to be potential leads. Potential writers included Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz, while J. J. Abrams, Rob Marshall, James Mangold, and Ryan Murphy were mentioned as possible candidates for director.[15] In December 2012, following the success of Les Misérables,[16][17] Marc Platt, also a producer of the stage version, announced the film was going ahead,[18] later confirming the film was aiming for a 2016 release.[19] After a long development, Universal announced in 2016 that the film would be released in theatres on December 20, 2019, with Stephen Daldry directing.[20] By 2024, Holzman was credited as the sole writer.[21] In August 2024, it was determined by the Writers Guild of America that Dana Fox collaborated with Holzman on the screenplay and that Craig Mazin contributed additional literary material.[1]

Pre-production
In May 2017, Schwartz stated that the film would feature "at least two" new songs.[22] On August 31, 2018, Universal put the film on hold, due to production scheduling, and gave the film adaptation of Cats the release date formerly held by the film.[23] On February 8, 2019, Universal announced a new release date of December 22, 2021, for the Wicked film.[24] On April 1, 2020, Universal put the film on hold once again due to Universal shifting release dates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and gave Sing 2 the 2021 release date.[25] On October 20, 2020, it was announced that Daldry had left the production due to scheduling conflicts. On February 2, 2021, it was announced that Jon M. Chu will take over as director.[26][27] In August, Alice Brooks was confirmed as the film's cinematographer, after working with Chu before on the film version of In the Heights.[28]

The film's main supporting cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater.
In November, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively.[5] Grande had previously performed "The Wizard and I", a song from the musical, in the NBC special Wicked 15th Anniversary. Erivo previously had performed "I Couldn't Be Happier", an excerpt from the song "Thank Goodness," in the PBS special Wicked in Concert.[29][30][31] It was reported that Grande auditioned five times for the role of Glinda and that Amanda Seyfried, Reneé Rapp and Taylor Louderman were also considered for the part.[32] In June 2022, Chu confirmed the hiring of Nathan Crowley as production designer.[33] On September 21, 2022, it was reported that Jonathan Bailey had joined the cast as Fiyero, beating fellow competitors Ryan McCartan (who played the role from 2018-2019 on Broadway), Nick Jonas and Joe Jonas for the part.[10][34] In October 2022, it was announced that Jeff Goldblum was in final talks to star as The Wizard.[35] Goldblum completed talks by December,[9] when Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, Aaron Teoh and Colin Michael Carmichael were added to the cast.[6][8][11] In April 2024, it was revealed at the 2024 CinemaCon that Peter Dinklage had been cast as Dr. Dillamond.[36]

About preparing for the role of Elphaba, Erivo said to Variety, while expressing her desire to see the stage version on Broadway again before filming: "I'm relearning everything ... I want to go and see it again. ... When I get to New York at some point I'll pop in and see the show again, that'll be my fifth time." She also said at that time that discussions were underway on what the film will look like, particularly its production design and visual style, and confirmed the hiring of Paul Tazewell as costume designer. Her request to him for Elphaba's costume when she becomes the Wicked Witch of the West involved "a Jean Paul Gaultier collection with a 'new world, kind of gilded age' feeling".[37]

Filming
Principal photography was set to commence in June 2022 at the Sky Studios Elstree facilities in the United Kingdom.[38] In July 2021, Stephen Schwartz indicated there were plans to film in Atlanta that year.[39] On April 26, 2022, Chu announced the adaptation will be filmed in two parts, Wicked and Wicked Part Two, saying:[40]
As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of 'Wicked' into a single film without doing some real damage to it ... As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years. We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one 'Wicked' movie but two! With more space, we can tell the story of 'Wicked' as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.

In June 2022, Stephen Schwartz confirmed that a new song would be written for one of the two films:[41]
We found it very difficult to get past 'Defying Gravity' without a break ... That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic ... Even as a very long single movie, it required us cutting or omitting things that we wanted to include and that we think fans of the show and the story will appreciate. What we have discussed is that changes need to be 'additive,' to use (producer) Marc Platt's term. They need to add something to the story or the characters. They can't just be changes to do something different. I feel confident that by the time the movie is made, if we all continue to have the same degree of input, I could have a conversation with anyone who has a question about any of the changes made from the stage show and justify why I think it's better for the movie.

On July 18, it was revealed that with the filming process settled at the newly-built Sky Studios in Elstree, England, rehearsals would begin in August with principal photography beginning in November.[42] On December 9, Chu confirmed on Twitter that filming had begun.[43]

On September 23, Planning Statement, in support of a planning application submitted on behalf of Western Sky Limited, indicated that outdoor filming would occur at a site being developed at Ivinghoe Turf[44] in Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire, UK. Early into filming, paparazzi from The Daily Mail were seen flying over the Munchkinland set by hang glider with GoPro cameras attached to their feet as Ariana Grande and the cast and crew filmed "No One Mourns the Wicked," the opening number of the first film. This resulted in the first pictures of Grande in full costume as Glinda being leaked online and sparking online hype and excitement for the adaptation. On this, Grande reflected during a conversation with co-star Johnathan Bailey in an interview for VMan: "I think we were very spoiled to have done this with him [Chu]. It felt like a teeny, little secret student thing — it's intimacy ... It felt so small and private until all of a sudden, we were outside, and the Daily Mail was hand gliding over our set — oh, he should play the pterodactyl in your film [Jurassic World Rebirth]."[45][46][47]

The original planned shooting dates were between April 6, 2023 and July 14, 2023, with principal photography set to wrap with the "One Short Day" sequence on July 25, 2023,[48][49] before filming was suspended from July 13, 2023 to November 8, 2023 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[50] Filming resumed on January 24, 2024 and concluded on January 26, with Chu then revealing that the vocals of the actors during the musical numbers were recorded live on set. Academy Award-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes collaborated with Chu on the recordings of the actors' vocals, using a variation of the same recording techniques that were implemented on Les Misérables.[51][52][53][54] Chu also cited Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook as a source of inspiration for the film's use of large-scale sets and practical effects to bring the many elements of the Land of Oz to life, including nine million colorful tulips planted on location to surround the Munchkinland set, an actual Yellow Brick Road paved on the ground with real mud and a life-size art deco-inspired train to transport Elphaba and Glinda to the Emerald City which he called "The Unlimited One".[55][56]

Post-production and visual effects
On February 6, 2024, it was confirmed on Twitter that Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore[57] will provide the film's visual effects with Pablo Helman serving as production visual effects supervisor, and that post-production work was in progress, with Chu working remotely with editor Myron Kerstein via communication through the newly-released Apple Vision Pro.[58][59][60] Post-production on the first film was completed on September 19, 2024.

Music
The soundtrack albums for both Wicked and Wicked Part Two will be released by Republic Records/Verve Label Group, Grande and Erivo's respective record labels, with the soundtrack of the first film being released on November 22, 2024.[61] In July 2024, it was revealed that John Powell had composed the incidental underscore for the film and will do the same for Wicked Part Two. Jeff Atmajian updated William David Brohn's original orchestrations for the songs and enlarged the orchestra from the stage version's original 23 musicians to 80 for the film. The recording sessions for the orchestra took place at AIR Studios in London, with the musical's original music director Stephen Oremus conducting the song cues and Powell conducting the incidental score cues. Greg Wells served as music producer.[62][63][64]

Stage-to-screen changes
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Splitting the film adaptation into two parts gave the filmmakers the opportunity to dive deeper into the relationships between the characters and showcase scenes that were either newly created for the film or pulled directly from Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel and L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to bring the story full circle. For the first film, these changes include showing Elphaba's private tutoring sessions with Madame Morrible in learning how to control her powers, new flashback scenes showing Elphaba as a child being ridiculed by the children of Munchkinland for her green skin and more moments to show the dynamic of her and Nessarose as sisters. The film's biggest change involves the musical number "Dancing Through Life." Instead of the first part of the song taking place outside the Shiz University campus, it starts inside the university's circular, rotating library before moving outside. The Ozdust Ballroom portion of the number was both altered and expanded upon, reimagining the ballroom as what Jon M. Chu called a nightclub in "the underbelly of Oz," complete with a musical band with Animals playing instruments.[65]

Marketing
On April 16, 2023, first-look pictures of the film were released through social media, featuring Erivo's Elphaba and Grande's Glinda.[66][67] Exclusive work-in-progress footage from the film, featuring first listens to Grande and Erivo's respective renditions of "Popular" and "Defying Gravity", was then presented at CinemaCon on April 26, 2023, introduced on stage by Universal Pictures chairwoman Donna Langley.[68] The first trailer for the film, in the form of a 60 second "First Look," premiered during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024.[69][70] The film returned to CinemaCon on April 10, 2024 to present new footage and marked the first time the cast and crew appeared together in public to promote the film. Costumes and props were also on display in the lobby of the venue during this event.[71] A featurette featuring behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with Chu, Erivo and Grande on how much Wicked and Wicked Part Two mean to them as a cinematic passion project, debuted at the 2024 NBCUniversal Upfront event at Radio City Music Hall on May 13, 2024 and was released online shortly after. The official 3-minute theatrical trailer for the film was released on May 15, 2024, followed by a version produced and animated entirely in the Lego brickfilm style on May 29, 2024.[72][73] A behind-the-scenes television special, Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked, will air on November 25, 2024 on NBC to promote the film. The network also hosted a promotional tie-in for the film during its coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris throughout the summer, with Erivo, Grande and Yeoh attending the opening ceremony, a viral video of the Emerald City's "Unlimited One" train cruising down tracks in front of the Eiffel Tower and extensive advertising during primetime coverage of the Women's Gymnastics event, with Chu and the cast in attendance at the Qualifying round.[74][75][76] On September 4, 2024, character posters were revealed ahead of the release of a new trailer the next day, which remixed "Defying Gravity" with Herbert Stothart's iconic "Wicked Witch/Miss Gulch" motif from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz.[77][78] On October 12th, 2024, Ariana Grande is slated to host an episode of the 50th anniversary season of Saturday Night Live to promote the film.[79] The cast will also appear during the sixth season of The Kelly Clarkson Show to promote the film and perform with Clarkson herself.[80]

On May 20, 2024, it was announced that a wide range of merchandising for the film across toys, apparel, books, beauty products and accessories will be made available from Universal Products & Experiences ahead of the film's release. This will involve retail experiences at the Universal Destinations & Experiences and partnerships with brands including Aerie, Bombas, Cambridge Satchel Company, Swarovski, Crocs, Zaks, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Hallmark, HarperCollins, Hasbro, Funko, Insight Editions, Jakks Pacific, Jazwares, Random House, Ravensburger, Spin Master, Starbucks, Betty Crocker, Amazon, Bloomingdale's, Forever 21, Kohl's, H&M, JCPenney, Target and Walmart. Lego and Mattel will serve as the lead toy partners. On the announcement, Vince Klaseu, president of Universal Products & Experiences, remarked: "It has been so fun to develop and expand the beloved story of Wicked and bring these incredible characters and worlds to life through magical products and immersive retail experiences; our global merchandise program across retail and theme parks reflects the film's empowering themes and bold iconography, paving the way for even more excitement in 2025 with Wicked Part Two ... Wicked is very special to us, and we can't wait for fans to embrace these inspiring characters this holiday season."[81][82] On May 23, Ariana Grande's cosmetics brand R.E.M. Beauty announced a collaboration inspired by the film.[83][84][85]

On May 15, 2024, the film launched an interactive website for Shiz University, allowing fans to apply for a 2024 semester at the college and tour its premises upon acceptance in September.[86]

Release
Originally announced as one film, Wicked was split into two films in April 2022.[40] The first half will premiere in London on November 18, 2024,[87] and is currently scheduled for a theatrical release by Universal Pictures on November 22, 2024, with engagements in RealD 3D, IMAX, and Dolby Cinema.[88]

The film was previously scheduled to be released on December 20, 2019, December 22, 2021, December 25, 2024, and November 27, 2024,[40] with the latter release date to avoid competition with Avatar: Fire and Ash and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (the former of which was later delayed to 2025 after Thunderbolts*, and later Mufasa: The Lion King took its date),[89] before moving forward by five days to its current date to avoid competition with Moana 2, with the new date putting it against Gladiator II.[88] The new release date would then spark speculation if pitting this film and Gladiator II together could result in a scenario similar to the Barbenheimer phenomenon resulting from the films Barbie and Oppenheimer being released together on July 21, 2023.[90] On July 10, 2024, Gladiator II star Paul Mescal officially dubbed the pair-up as "Glicked" and voiced his support for the two films as a double feature, saying "It would be amazing 'cause I think the films couldn't be more polar opposites and it worked in that context previously. So fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend."[91] With the film being released two weeks after the 2024 United States presidential election, Marc Platt reflected on the story's increasing relevance in the current political climate, saying "It's a significant election for both of us, but our story aspires to be about the distance people travel to connect with each other, about seeing the other as not the other, about living in a world where sometimes the truth is not real."[92]

Reception
Accolades
Award Date of ceremony Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
The Queerties February 24, 2022 Next Big Thing Wicked Nominated [93]
March 12, 2024 Nominated [94]
Astra Midseason Movie Awards July 3, 2024 Most Anticipated Movie Nominated [95][96][97]
Continuation
Main article: Wicked Part Two
The sequel film Wicked Part Two is scheduled to be released November 21, 2025, after previously being scheduled for December 25, 2025, and November 26, 2025.[98][99]