Jon M. Chu‘s Wicked films have wrapped filming. After Ariana Grande teased the milestone through her social media accounts, the star shared a sentimental farewell this morning by quoting the musical’s poignant lyric “like a handprint on my heart.” The first part of the film adaptations of the iconic Broadway hit will fly towards the big screen later this year, giving the filmmaker plenty of time to work on the post-production process. Two young women will make history in Oz, as their friendship leads the magical land towards the events of The Wizard of Oz, in a musical that includes romance, betrayal, and some of the most recognizable power ballads in Broadway history.
Wicked follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a young woman who enrolls in Shiz University to learn how to master her powers. It’s there where she meets Glinda (played by Grande), a popular student who promises to help the introvert Elphaba with her behavior in public. However, when Elphaba develops feelings for Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), things start to get very complicated for the duo. Wicked has been one of the most successful Broadway musicals in history, having a presence in New York City for twenty years. Elphaba’s story will make the leap from the stage to the big screen in the upcoming adaptations, which will feature new songs written by the show’s original composer, Stephen Schwartz.
Jon M. Chu, who has plenty of experience with directing movie musicals, was selected to helm the Wicked films. The filmmaker previously worked on In The Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s story about a young man who wanted to make life for his community better. After he was done with Usnavi’s (Anthony Ramos) world, Chu went directly to Oz to make way for Elphaba’s journey. The Wicked films will also feature performances from Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, and Michelle Yeoh, as Glinda and Elphaba defy gravity while changing Oz’s destiny for good.
A Musical Too Big For One Film
When Universal Pictures announced that it was developing a film adaptation of Wicked, the project was originally conceived as one film. However, when Chu and the team behind the movie realized the story was too big to be contained in one installment, Wicked: Part Two was announced. The second part is currently scheduled to premiere in theaters in the United States on November 26, 2025. It was previously slated to come out around Christmas, but the studio recently changed the release date in order to avoid the crowded spot on the upcoming release calendar.
Wicked: Part One releases in theaters in the United States on November 27, 2024. Check out Grande‘s post about wrapping above.
via Collider