We’re off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz.
The first part of two movies based on the iconic broadway musical, “Wicked,” is set to be released in cinemas on Nov 27, 2024.
“Wicked” is a musical based on the 1995 retelling of “The Wizard of Oz,” “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire. A movie has been a long time coming. On Feb 11 during the Superbowl, fans got their first look.
“Wicked” tells the story of two unlikely friends. Elphaba, future Wicked Witch of the West, faces discrimination due to her unusual green skin. Galinda, future Glinda the Good, has a heart beneath her vanity. Both have their sights set on working for the Wizard of Oz. But when the wizard’s corruption is revealed, Elphaba and Galinda’s dreams are challenged. Act One begins several years before Dorothy arrives in Oz, and Act Two picks up afterwards.
With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman, numbers like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” became iconic after its opening night in 2003. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth set the bar high for future Elphadas and Glindas.
Alongside its heartfelt story of friendship and score, “Wicked” became famous for its production design. The elaborate set creates many locations, from Shiz University to the Emerald City. Lighting and projections are heavily utilized to portray the magic of Oz. Mckenna Gray, lifelong theater fan, experienced “Wicked” for the first time in September at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. “I was nervous to see it because I was afraid that it was something that everyone loved but was actually not that great, but I absolutely loved it from the very start of the show through to the end,” Gray said.
The first news of a potential “Wicked” movie broke in 2012. Production was continuously delayed, exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually the role of director was passed from Stephen Daldry to Jon M. Chu. Chu is best known as the director of 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asians” and 2021’s “In the Heights,” another movie based on a musical. In 2021 Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were cast as Elphaba and Glinda respectively. In 2022, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, and Michelle Yeoh joined the supporting cast.
On Superbowl Sunday, as football fans cheered for their favorite team, “Wicked” fans anticipated the possibility of a trailer. They were rewarded when a black hat, green hand, and yellow brick flashed across the screen. The trailer ended with Erivo’s rendition of the final note of “Defying Gravity.” Fans were intrigued. “I am most excited about seeing what they do with the setting and special effects that they can’t really do with live theater,” Gray said.
Still, the stage musical will always hold a special place in fans’ hearts. “I feel like it will be good but nowhere near as good as the actual musical,” Gray said.
