Wicked Part Two

Last updated

Wicked Part Two
Wicked Part Two Poster.jpeg
Official logo with release date
Directed by Jon M. Chu
Screenplay by
Based on
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Alice Brooks
Edited by Myron Kerstein
Music byStephen Schwartz
Production
company
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • November 26, 2025 (2025-11-26)
Country
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$165 million

Wicked: Part Two [1] is an upcoming American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman. The sequel to Wicked (2024), it is the second of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which in turn was based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire and characters from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, with Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, and Peter Dinklage in supporting roles.

Contents

Wicked: Part Two is set for release by Universal Pictures in the United States on November 26, 2025.

Premise

The story of how a green-skinned woman framed by the Wizard of Oz becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

Cast

Cynthia Erivo (82023) (cropped).jpg
Ariana Grande interview 2016.png
The film stars Cynthia Erivo (left) as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.

Additionally, Aaron Teoh will appear as Averic, Fiyero's friend; Grecia de la Paz will appear as Gilligan; Colin Michael Carmichael will appear as Professor Nikidik, a professor at Shiz University; and Adam James will appear as Galinda's father, another new character created for this film. The character Dorothy Gale, a Kansas farm girl who is accidentally transported to the Land of Oz by a tornado with her dog Toto, will also be featured.

Production

Development

Jon M. Chu 2013.jpg
StephenSchwartz-byPhilipRomano.jpg
Director Jon M. Chu (left) and composer Stephen Schwartz

A film adaptation for the Broadway musical Wicked was announced in 2012, [10] with a scheduled release date of December 20, 2019. [11] After numerous delays, the film eventually secured a release date of November 27, 2024. [12] In April 2022, director Jon M. Chu announced that the adaptation would be split in two parts, Wicked and Wicked Part Two, saying:

As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of 'Wicked' into a single film without doing some real damage to it ... As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years. We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one 'Wicked' movie but two! With more space, we can tell the story of 'Wicked' as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters. [13]

Pre-production

In June 2022, Stephen Schwartz added, while confirming that a new song will be written for one of the two films: [14]

We found it very difficult to get past 'Defying Gravity' without a break ... That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic ... Even as a very long single movie, it required us cutting or omitting things that we wanted to include and that we think fans of the show and the story will appreciate. What we have discussed is that changes need to be 'additive,' to use (producer) Marc Platt's term. They need to add something to the story or the characters. They can't just be changes to do something different. I feel confident that by the time the movie is made, if we all continue to have the same degree of input, I could have a conversation with anyone who has a question about any of the changes made from the stage show and justify why I think it's better for the movie.

In November 2022, Schwartz revealed that the film will include two new songs "to meet the demands of the storytelling." [15]

Filming

Principal photography began alongside Part One, and had nearly been completed by July 2023 before production was suspended due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. [16] Both films resumed on January 24, 2024 and concluded on January 26. [17] The vocals of the actors during the musical numbers were recorded live on set, with Academy Award-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes collaborating with Chu on the recordings of the actors' vocals, using a variation of the same recording techniques that were implemented on Les Misérables (2012). [18] [19] [20] [21]

Post-production and visual effects

On February 6, 2024, it was confirmed on Twitter that Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore [22] will provide the film's visual effects with Pablo Helman serving as visual effects supervisor, and that post-production work was in progress, with Chu working remotely with editor Myron Kerstein via communication through the newly-released Apple Vision Pro. [23] [24] [25]

Music

The soundtrack albums for both this film and Wicked will be released by Republic Records/Verve Label Group, Grande and Erivo's respective record labels.

Release

Wicked Part Two is scheduled to be released theatrically, including engagements in RealD 3D, IMAX and Dolby Cinema, on November 26, 2025 by Universal Pictures, after previously being set for a December 25, 2025 release. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glinda</span> The Wonderful Wizard of Oz character

Glinda is a fictional character created by L. Frank Baum for his Oz novels. She first appears in Baum's 1900 children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and is the most powerful sorceress in the Land of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country South of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarecrow (Oz)</span> Character in L. Frank Baums fictional Land of Oz

The Scarecrow is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow. In his first appearance, the Scarecrow reveals that he lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one. In reality, he is only two days old and merely naïve. Throughout the course of the novel, he proves to have the brains he seeks and is later recognized as "the wisest man in all of Oz," although he continues to credit the Wizard for them. He is, however, wise enough to know his own limitations and all too happy to hand the rulership of Oz to Princess Ozma and become one of her trusted advisors, though he typically spends more time having fun than advising.

The Wicked Witch of the West is a fictional character who appears in the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), created by American author L. Frank Baum. In Baum's subsequent Oz novels, it is the Nome King who is the principal villain; the Wicked Witch of the West is rarely even referred to again after her death in the first book.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wicked Witch of the East</span> Fictional character

The Wicked Witch of the East is a fictional character created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is a crucial character but appears only briefly in Baum's classic children's series of Oz novels, most notably The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900).

<i>Wicked</i> (Maguire novel) 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is an American novel published in 1995, written by Gregory Maguire with illustrations by Douglas Smith. It is the first in The Wicked Years series, and was followed by Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz. In 2003, it was adapted as the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Wicked. The musical is in the process of being adapted into a two-part feature film, with the first film scheduled to be released in November 2024 and the second film in November 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elphaba</span> Fictional character from Wicked

Elphaba Thropp is the protagonist in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, in its musical theatre adaptation Wicked, and in the musical's upcoming two-part film adaptation. The character is identified with the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

<i>Son of a Witch</i> 2005 novel by Gregory Maguire

Son of a Witch (2005) is a fantasy novel by American writer Gregory Maguire. The book is Maguire’s fifth revisionist story and the second set in the land of Oz originally conceived by L. Frank Baum. Son of a Witch continues the story after the fall from power of the Wizard of Oz and the death of Elphaba by recounting the life of Elphaba’s son, Liir. The book is dedicated to the cast of the Broadway musical version of Wicked.

<i>Wicked</i> (musical) 2003 musical by Stephen Schwartz

Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is in turn based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation.

"Popular" is a song from the Tony Award-winning musical Wicked. It is performed by the Broadway company's original Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth, on the original Broadway cast recording. The song is about a popular girl (Glinda) trying to help her unpopular roommate (Elphaba) become more popular.

"Defying Gravity" is the signature song from the musical Wicked, composed by Stephen Schwartz, originally recorded by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth on November 10, 2003, and released on December 16, 2003. It is mostly a solo sung by the main character of the show, Elphaba, with two small duets at the beginning and in the middle of the song between Elphaba and her friend Glinda, and a chorus part at the end in which the citizens of Oz sing.

"For Good" is a musical number from the hit musical Wicked. It is sung as a duet between Elphaba and Glinda as a farewell. The song's score and lyrics were written by composer Stephen Schwartz.

"No Good Deed" is a musical number from the hit Broadway musical Wicked. It is sung by Elphaba, the main character of the show. It is widely regarded as the most powerful piece of the musical; and the most emotional.

The Wicked Years is a series of novels by Gregory Maguire that present a revisionist take on L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, its 1939 film adaptation, and related books.

"The Wizard and I" is a musical number from the hit musical Wicked. It is primarily a solo number for the character of Elphaba, though the character Madame Morrible also sings in the introduction to the song.

Jemma Rix is an Australian theatre performer, who has played the role of Elphaba in the Melbourne, Sydney, Australian and Asian touring companies of Wicked. Rix first performed the role in the shortened 30-minute version of the show at Universal Studios Japan. She was an original cast member of the Australian premiere production as the standby for Elphaba.

"I'm Not That Girl" is a showtune from the musical Wicked, based on the novel, "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West", by Gregory Maguire. It was composed by Stephen Schwartz, originally recorded by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth (reprise) on November 10, 2003, and released on December 16, 2003. It is a solo sung by the main character of the show, Elphaba Thropp in the first act and Glinda in the reprise in the second act.

<i>The Wizard of Oz</i> (2011 musical) 2011 musical based on the 1939 film

The Wizard of Oz is a 2011 musical based on the 1939 film of the same name in turn based on L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, with a book adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses the Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg songs from the film and includes some new songs and additional music by Lloyd Webber and additional lyrics by Tim Rice. It is the third stage musical adaptation of the film following the 1942 version for the St. Louis Municipal Opera and the 1987 version for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

<i>A Very Wicked Halloween</i> 2018 American TV series or program

A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating 15 Years on Broadway is a Halloween television special commemorating fifteen years since the premiere of the musical Wicked on Broadway. The concert special aired on NBC on October 29, 2018, and was hosted by Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, and featured performances by Ariana Grande, Adam Lambert, Ledisi and Pentatonix.

<i>Wicked</i> (2024 film) Upcoming two-part film directed by Jon M. Chu

Wicked is an upcoming American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman. It is the first of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which in turn was based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire and characters from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, with Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, and Peter Dinklage in supporting roles. Set in the Land of Oz, largely before Dorothy Gale's arrival from Kansas, the plot follows green-skinned Elphaba and her path to ultimately becoming the Wicked Witch of the West, alongside an unlikely friendship and later rivalry with a classmate who later becomes Glinda the Good.

Bronwyn James is a British actress. She has appeared in television shows such as Wild Bill, Ghosts, Outlander, and Harlots.

References

  1. 1 2 Kroll, Justin (June 20, 2023). "Wicked Part Two From Universal And Jon Chu Moves Up A Month To Thanksgiving 2025". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Shaffer, Ellise; Donnelly, Matt (November 4, 2021). "Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to Star in 'Wicked' Musical for Universal". Variety . Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Jackson, Angelique (December 7, 2022). "Wicked Movie Casts Ethan Slater Opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Angelique (December 7, 2022). "Wicked Movie Casts Ethan Slater Opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  5. ↑ Malkin, Marc (December 8, 2022). "Michelle Yeoh to Star in Wicked Movies as Madame Morrible (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  6. ↑ Laudenbach, Sarah (December 10, 2022). "Jeff Goldblum Confirmed As Wicked's Wizard Of Oz In Exciting Movie Update". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  7. ↑ Malkin, Marc (September 21, 2022). "Jonathan Bailey Joins 'Wicked' Movies as Fiyero (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 Kroll, Justin (December 9, 2022). "Wicked Adaptation At Universal Rounds Out Inclusive All-Star Cast With Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  9. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (April 10, 2024). "'Wicked' Casts Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond the Goat". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  10. ↑ WICKED Film to Enter Development 'Soon' Archived 2016-03-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 13, 2012
  11. ↑ "Universal's 'Wicked' Movie Adaptation Gets December 2019 Release". Hollywood Reporter. June 16, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  12. ↑ Petski, Densie (March 14, 2023). "Universal Moves Up 'Wicked' Part 1 Release Date". Deadline. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 26, 2022). "Universal Releasing 'Wicked' Musical In Two Parts". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  14. ↑ Willman, Chris (June 28, 2022). "'Wicked' Songwriter Stephen Schwartz on Why the Movie Must Be a Two-Parter: Nothing Can Follow 'Defying Gravity'". Variety. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  15. ↑ Major, Michael. "Second WICKED Movie Will Include Two New Songs". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ Thompson, Jaden (July 19, 2023). "Wicked Had 10 Days Left of Filming Before Strike Shut Down Production, Says Stephen Schwartz". Variety . Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  17. ↑ Anderson, Jenna (January 27, 2024). "Wicked Movie Wraps Filming, Cynthia Erivo Shares Major Set Photo". Comicbook.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  18. ↑ Rahbar, Sabba (January 24, 2024). "Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Hold Hands While Taking Their Love From Emerald City to New York City". E! Online . Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  19. ↑ Anderson, Jenna (January 27, 2024). "Wicked Movie Wraps Filming, Cynthia Erivo Shares Major Set Photo". Comicbook.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  20. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (January 27, 2024). "'Wicked' Musical Adaptation Wraps Filming: Ariana Grande & Director Jon M. Chu Share Emotional Messages". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Wicked The Movies: What we know so far". westendtheatre.com. March 15, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  22. ↑ Frei, Vincent (February 12, 2024). "Wicked: Part One". The Art of VFX (in French). Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  23. ↑ https://twitter.com/jonmchu/status/1754918878638133500
  24. ↑ https://twitter.com/jonmchu/status/1754760775145787902
  25. ↑ Frei, Vincent (November 2, 2023). "Killers of the Flower Moon: Pablo Helman - Production VFX Supervisor – ILM". The Art of VFX (in French). Retrieved February 8, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.