Vocal legends Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are in the ultimate sing-off as friends-turned-enemies in the highly anticipated big screen adaptation of Broadway’s “Wicked.”
Grande and Erivo play two witches, Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba (later known as the Wicked Witch of the West), duking it out over love (Jonathan Bailey) and political upheaval in the land of Oz, run by the Wizard himself (Jeff Goldblum). “In the Heights” and “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu helms the epic two-part musical, written by Tony nominee Winnie Holzman.
The cast includes Michelle Yeoh, Adam James, Keala Settle, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Ethan Slater, and Colin Michael Carmichael.
“Wicked” will open in two parts, with respective December 24 releases in 2024 and 2025.
Chu made the announcement in a 2022 Instagram post, writing, “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.”
The first film is confirmed to conclude with the show-stopping (literally) number “Defying Gravity,” one of the musical’s most iconic songs.
Oscar winner Yeoh previously teased during SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show” that “Wicked” is a “glorious” film.
“The sets are spectacular. [Director] Jon Chu is so amazing, Ariana, and Cynthia,” Yeoh said. “You know, you walk onto the set that is so big, and suddenly you hear this, ‘Oh,’ and you go, ‘Oh my God.’ It’s the singing. It’s such a joy, you know? And that’s why I love what I do. It’s such a joy to be able to every day be so taken, you know, to another place of bliss.”
“Wicked” marks another music-driven feature for Broadway alum and award-winning actress Erivo, who recently told IndieWire she is looking to direct for the stage or screen.
“I love creating in all its forms, whether it be on stage or on film or on TV,” Erivo said. “I think it’s always the script and the story. If I like the story and it happens to be a musical, then I think I’ll direct the musical.”
“Wicked: Part One” premieres December 24 in theaters. Check out the teaser below.
