Filmmaker Jon M. Chu has revealed the first look at Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in the two-part film adaptation of the celebrated Broadway musical “Wicked”.
In the very darkly lit photos, Erivo has her character’s hat, dark gown and broom on while Grande is in a pink gown on a staircase.
This Tony Award-winning prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” deals with the lead up to Dorothy’s arrival in Oz and offers a new look at one of the most maligned women in fictional history: The Wicked Witch of the West.
The project marks Chu’s follow-up to the rave-reviewed but underperforming adaptation of the musical “In the Heights”. The “Wicked” film has long been in the works but didn’t really get going until just before the pandemic.
Also onboard are Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard.
Stephen Schwartz, who penned the music and lyrics to the original Broadway show, is adapting the screenplay with Winnie Holzman. Marc Platt and David Stone are producing.
The original production premiered in 2003 with Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in the leads and remains one of the longest-running shows on Broadway.
“Wicked: Part I” opens on November 27th 2024 will be followed by “Wicked: Part II” on December 25th 2025.
— Wicked Movie (@wickedmovie) April 16, 2023
