For the longest time, it seemed like the Wicked movie adaptation would never happen. After all, the film was originally announced in 2016 and slated for December 2019—but instead, we got Cats as a questionable replacement in Universal’s film line-up, and it just didn’t seem like there were any concrete plans for Wicked. A long eight years after news of the film initially dropped, a trailer is finally here (released during this year’s Super Bowl, no less), and excitement, understandably, soared.
Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is undeniably one of the most iconic musicals of our time. A prequel to The Wizard of Oz, it tells the tale of the unlikely friendship between Elphaba and Galinda, before they come to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. It has made a clear impact not just on the musical theatre industry, but on pop culture as a whole, in a way that few other musicals have. Now, over two decades after the musical first arrived on Broadway, a two-part film adaptation will reimagine the beloved show for the screen.
Led by theatre powerhouse Cynthia Erivo and pop icon Ariana Grande, the adaptation’s star-studded cast includes the likes of Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard. Directed by Jon M. Chu, best known for Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights, the first part of the film is slated for 27 November this year—and if the trailer is anything to go by, we are in for quite the treat. Below, our wishlist for everything we’re hoping to see in Wicked.
1 / 5
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba
The first and biggest sign that the Wicked movie understood the assignment: the casting of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Not only is Erivo an acclaimed name in the musical theatre industry—having taken home a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple—she is also an incredible on-screen actress, receiving an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of American singer Aretha Franklin in Genius: Aretha. Already, it seems from the trailer that her interpretation of the role will be a fresh and intriguing one, trading angry outbursts for witty sarcasm. And of course, her take on Elphaba’s iconic tracks is something we can’t wait to hear.
2 / 5
Ariana Grande’s return to musical theatre
Scour the internet, and you’ll find several very pixelated but nonetheless very impressive videos of a teenage Ariana Grande belting out ‘The Wizard and I’ from Wicked. They’re not surprising, since Grande began her career in musical theatre, originating the role of Charlotte in 13 on Broadway at the age of 15. She might be known for being one of the biggest pop icons of our generation now, but hints of her love for musicals—and Wicked—have always shone through. ‘Popular Song’ on her debut album samples ‘Popular’ from Wicked, while ‘7 Rings’ gets part of its melody from The Sound of Music’s ‘My Favourite Things’. When Wicked celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2018, Grande was also invited to perform ‘The Wizard and I’ to commemorate the occasion. Stepping into the role of Glinda feels like a full-circle moment for Grande, and it’ll be exciting to see her go back to her musical theatre roots with so many more years of music experience now under her belt.
3 / 5
Costumes galore
In the theatrical production of Wicked, the costumes tell a story all on their own. Fashion enthusiasts will recognise the similarities between Glinda’s iconic Bubble Dress and Dior’s famous Junon ball gown, placing Glinda the Good firmly amongst the high fashion circles of Oz. But beyond that, the sparkling blue gown is symbolic of the sky, in contrast to Elphaba’s connection to the earth. Elphaba’s dress, while evoking the silhouette of the plain black frock we’ve come to associate the Wicked Witch with, is lined with layers of deep colour reminiscent of the contours of the earth. Safe to say, the costumes have always been a vital part of Wicked. The film seems to have gone with a different direction for its looks, but with costume designer Paul Tazewell—who has designed for theatre productions like Hamilton as well as Steven Spielberg’s 2021 film adaptation of West Side Story—at its helm, we can’t help but look forward to a brand new interpretation of these iconic dresses.
4 / 5
Jon M. Chu’s vision
It was clear after he directed In the Heights that Jon M. Chu knows how to create an impressive movie musical, but he might just outdo himself with Wicked. The sheer scale of the production is a remarkable feat—with behind-the-scenes images revealing full fields of what must be thousands of vibrant flowers planted for the film, a massive emerald train and an impressive set for Shiz University. Its resulting visuals, seen in the trailer, are stunning. But what makes Chu the best person to direct this film is his understanding of what it takes to translate a story from stage to screen. Thus far, it seems that he has taken great care to maintain the parts of the musical that are important to fans, while expanding on the fantastical elements that the stage production couldn’t depict by nature of its form.
5 / 5
The possibilities that Part 2 brings
Rather than cutting material from the original theatre production as most film adaptations do, the Wicked movie will instead be adding to it. With Chu and the team making the decision to split the musical into two films, there’s twice the amount of screen time to work with, opening up endless possibilities for new material. Composer Stephan Schwartz has already confirmed two new songs written for the second film, and with the increased runtime, we’d love to see the films further delve deeper into the nuances of Elphaba’s character, the complexities of her relationships with those around her, and potentially even what happens between Act 1 and Act 2.
