‘Wicked: Part One’: Director Jon M. Chu Confirms Release Date Won’t Be Affected by Strike!!

Jon M. Chu has cleared the air regarding the status of Wicked: Part One, after filming stopped due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strike. The curious thing about this film bringing production to a halt was the fact that the team was a few days away from wrapping filming on the musical adaptation. The director stated that the late 2024 release date the project currently holds won’t result affected by the temporary break, while actors a writers fight to obtain better working conditions within the industry. The world of Oz will be ready to be explored just in time for next year’s holiday season.

Wicked follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), who would eventually become the titular Witch of the West from the 1939 original, years before the events of the classic movie took place. As a young woman, Elphaba will be disappointed to learn that, sometimes, talent and honor aren’t enough to navigate a world full of corrupt politics, nepotism, and keeping up with unrealistic appearances.

Ariana Grande will star as Galinda, Elphaba’s best friend from college and a young witch who believes rubbing the right shoulders and keeping a welcoming smile to everyone she meets is the right way to live her life. Their contrasting perspectives is a major conflict within the story of the musical.

Too Big for One Film

The story of the iconic musical has plenty of ground to cover, as the relationship between the two friends also hits a major speed bump when the girls meet Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Another important aspect that the screenplay needs to explore is how Elphaba reacts to meeting her one and only idol, the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). Due to how much time they need to cover the entire story, Universal has decided to divide Wicked into two parts, with the conclusion of the tale reaching the big screen on November 26, 2025.

You can check out the full statement by Jon M. Chu below. Wicked: Part One flies into theaters on November 27, 2024:

Not done yet. Just paused until the strike is over and we can finish the last pieces of the movie. We were only a few days away from being done so we were SO close. It’s been very painful to put a halt to it all but we will be back! And we will finish properly strong when the…

— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) July 19, 2023