Join stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, along with director Jon M. Chu, for a behind-the-scenes look at Wicked, the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical and prequel to The Wizard of Oz.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.
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.
The film also stars Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots); a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) as the voice of Dr. Dillamond.
Wicked is produced by Marc Platt and David Stone. David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz, and Jared LeBoff serve as executive producers. It is written by Winnie Holzman. Based on the musical Wicked, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire.
Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part film event. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.
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.
The film also stars Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots); a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman) and Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) as the voice of Dr. Dillamond.
Wicked is produced by Marc Platt and David Stone. David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz, and Jared LeBoff serve as executive producers. It is written by Winnie Holzman. Based on the musical Wicked, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire.
Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part film event. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:05 >> Well, whenever anyone asks me, what's the one movie you wanna do?
00:10 If there was one, I'd always say be Wicked.
00:13 [MUSIC]
00:16 >> On my 25th birthday, I took myself to see the show.
00:19 I'd never heard anything or seen anything like it.
00:22 I remember that, it was a rainy night and I felt really alive.
00:25 [MUSIC]
00:27 I felt like I was floating on air.
00:30 [MUSIC]
00:32 >> I had the incredible privilege of seeing the original Broadway cast of Wicked
00:38 when I was 10, and I just felt an immediate bond.
00:41 >> I'm sure that you have dreamed of playing one of the two roles.
00:44 Would you be Elphaba or Glinda?
00:44 >> Glinda.
00:45 >> You'd be Glinda?
00:46 >> For sure.
00:48 >> It had a very personal effect on me.
00:50 This is a very cinematic show.
00:52 This should be on the big screen.
00:54 >> There's sort of this innate understanding of what it feels like to be
00:59 someone who's different.
01:01 >> It's always been the thing that I listen to when I'm nervous,
01:04 when I'm needing an escape, when I need comfort.
01:07 >> Wait a minute, wait a minute.
01:08 [MUSIC]
01:10 >> I went in for my first audition and I just remember being buzzing.
01:16 >> And she came in, she was an Ari that I'd never seen before.
01:21 >> And then I got the call to come in.
01:22 [MUSIC]
01:28 >> Cynthia is so raw and vulnerable, and I couldn't get her out of my head.
01:33 [MUSIC]
01:35 >> The world needs to see more of you.
01:38 We would love for you to be our Elphaba.
01:41 >> It's been a really long journey, and I'm really grateful for it.
01:45 [MUSIC]
01:48 >> I never thought in my lifetime that I would get to be a part of something like
01:54 this.
01:54 >> We want you to be our Galinda the Good.
01:59 >> My God, thank you.
02:01 I love her so much.
02:02 I'm gonna take such good care of her.
02:03 Thank you so much.
02:04 [MUSIC]
02:06 >> I want people to see Wicked and
02:08 experience it in a way they've never experienced it before.
02:12 I want them to feel what I felt going into that theater for the first time.
02:17 I want to make them laugh, to make them sing, to make them feel that after they've
02:21 watched it, they've been changed for good.
02:23 [LAUGH]
02:26 [MUSIC]
02:34 [BLANK_AUDIO]