‘Wicked Part 1’: Everything To Know About The ‘Wizard Of Oz’ Prequel Movie Starring Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo
Theaters kids everywhere, rejoice! There will finally be an on-screen version of “Defying Gravity” for you to sing along with and fulfill your dream of flying on a broom into the sunset. Start practicing that high note now.
The highly-anticipated Wicked adaptation is heading to theaters this fall with an all-star cast, a blonde Ariana Grande and Peter Dinklage as a goat professor. What more could you want from a fairy tale?
Based on the book and Broadway adaptaion of the same name, the movie will tell the “unofficial” story of how the Wicked Witch became so wicked all those years before Dorothy appeared in Oz, told through some over-the-top dance numbers. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming film.
Plot
The story follows a pair of witches, Elphaba and Glinda, who form an unlikely bond after meeting at a prestigious school. There, they learn about their important destiny in the land of Oz. Ariana Grande portrays Glinda, the bubbly (literally!) young witch while Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, the outcast with green skin and a lot of power. After the two become roommates, they are forced to see the world through new perspectives, while learning the dark secrets of Oz and the powerful wizard.
Here is the official synopsis:
The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Unlike Wonka, Warner Bros wants you to know this is a musical starring two of the most powerful vocalists right now. Both Grande and Erivo sang live on set, which is rare for a movie-musical “These are live vocals,” Director Jon M. Chu told Vanity Fair. “When we were shooting it, those girls were like, ‘F*ck the pre-records. We’re going live.’”
Cast
Aside from Grande and Erivo, the movie stars Jonathan Bailey as the love interest Fiyero, Ethan Slater munchkin Boq, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Glinda’s BFF, Jeff Goldblum as the all powerful Wizard, and Michelle Yeoh as the mysterious Madame Morrible. And Peter Dinklage as a cute goat!!
Grande has been manifesting her role as Glinda since she was a Nickelodeon star. “I had no expectations, I was just thankful to go in at all, I was so excited to have the opportunity to audition,” Grande said earlier this year on the Zach Sang Show, “Since I was 20, I was like, ‘Hey, I don’t know when this is happening, but when it’s happening, may I please at least just audition?’ That’s all I wanted, was an audition. I’ve never wanted anything more.” As Grande famously believes, “I want it, I got it, I want it. I got it,” and so forth. You can see clips of her audition below:
Release Date
In 2022, it was announced that the story would be split into two parts, in order to really drag out our time in Oz. Currently, Part One is set to hit theaters on November 27th, 2024, and Part Two is slated for November 26th, 2025.
Trailer
The full trailer was released earlier this month and featured a glimpse at the dazzling sets and larger-than-life musical numbers: