A newly released behind-the-scenes featurette offers the most comprehensive look yet at the upcoming two-part screen adaptation of Broadway's Wicked. From the casting of stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively) to a sneak peek at several musical numbers, this featurette has a lot to dig into. Get started by watching above.
The first film in the two-movie series is scheduled to hit movie theatres this Thanksgiving. The second part will release Thanksgiving 2025. A new trailer is scheduled to drop May 15, and Playbill will post it as soon as that happens. Fans can also look forward to Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked, a behind-the-scenes celebration of Universal Pictures’ upcoming feature film of the international hit musical, airing on NBC November 25 (check local listings).
Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked Will Air on NBC This Fall
Along with Erivo and Grande, the two-part film will star West End Company Olivier winner and Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, SpongeBob SquarePants star Ethan Slater as Boq, Emmy winner Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, 2023 Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, and newcomer Marissa Bode as Nessarose, the first wheelchair-using actor in the musical's history to take on the role. Stage and screen star Keala Settle, SNL's Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Aaron Teoh, and Colin Michael Carmichael will play roles new to the musical's screen version, with Settle as Miss Coddle, Carmichael as Professor Nikidik, and Yang, James, and Teoh as Shiz students Pfannee, ShenShen, and Avaric, respectively.
The screen adaptation, which will include new songs by Stephen Schwartz, is helmed by In the Heights screen director Jon M. Chu. Wicked book writer Winnie Holzman has penned the screenplay, and Tony winner Paul Tazewell designed the costumes.
Wicked, injecting a new backstory onto the classic tale The Wizard of Oz, debuted on Broadway in 2003 and continues to be an audience favorite at the Gershwin Theatre. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical features music and lyrics by Schwartz and a book by Holzman. The original cast included Tony winners Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. The musical has subsequently been performed in more than 100 cities across 16 countries and is now the fourth longest-running production in Broadway history.
The show won 2004 Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (Menzel), Best Costume Design (Susan Hilferty), and Best Scenic Design (Eugene Lee).
