Ever wonder what was happening in Oz before Dorothy arrived? A movie version of the Broadway smash hit Wicked, starring pop sensation Ariana Grande and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo, is coming to theaters this Thanksgiving. Loved on Broadway for decades, this prequel to The Wizards of Oz is finally hitting the big screen and getting the Hollywood treatment it rightfully deserves.
The Tale Of The Wicked Witch
Based on Gregory McGuire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West, a prequel to the classic L. Frank Baum novel and Judy Garland film The Wizard of Oz, the musical shows a different side to the Wicked Witch of the West. The show follows her younger years, the events before and after Dorothy dropped into Oz, and the unlikely friendship between the wicked witch (renamed Elphaba) and the good witch Glinda.
Broadway icons Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel originated the roles of Glinda and Elphaba for the musical's premiere on Broadway in 2003. 20 years later, Wicked is still playing at the Gershwin Theatre in Manhattan, New York. Wicked is both one of the longest-running shows and the most beloved shows on Broadway.
Aside from its Tony award-winning scenic design and costume designs, the Wicked soundtrack features many memorable tracks, including "Defying Gravity," "Popular," and "For Good." These songs are loved by many, both those who've seen the musical on Broadway and those who have not.
Wicked: The Movie Musical
Directed by John M. Chu, who also directed Crazy Rich Asians and In The Heights, Wicked will be split into two parts. The first part will hit theaters on November 27, 2024, and part two will premiere on November 26, 2025. Stephen Schwartz, Wicked's composer, commented on the decision to make the film a two-parter in his fan newsletter The Schwartz Scene.
Schwartz explained that they tried to make one long film, but kept running into two problems. "The first is that 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," he said. "Secondly, 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."
Despite this risky move of splitting the movie into two, Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba are sure to inspire fans to come back for more, even if they do have to wait a year. Although most known for her pop albums, Grande got her start on Broadway and is a self-proclaimed theatre nerd. In 2008, at age 14, Grande starred in the all-teen musical 13. In 2016, she played Penny Pingleton in NBC's Hairspray Live! alongside Chenoweth, who played antagonist Velma Von Tussle. Erivo is also no stranger to Broadway. From 2015 to 2017, she starred in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple and won the 2016 Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Celie Harris.
Final Thoughts
Wicked is a musical powerhouse that has maintained a dedicated fanbase for over twenty years. While the Broadway production is where it started and is a show that stays with attendees forever, Wicked's coming to the big screen allows it to reach a wider audience and a new look with more possibilities that the film medium offers. Wicked will also star Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizards of Oz, Michelle Yeoh as Madam Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, and Ethan Slater as Boq.
With almost two months to go until the film's part one release and then another year for part two's release, Wicked will continue to have its place in the Broadway Hall of Fame for both stage and movie production. Still, consider going to see the stage production if you can. Currently, Alyssa Fox is playing Elphaba, and McKenzie Kurt is playing Glinda.
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