Wicked Movie: Release Date, Trailer, Cast And Other Things We Know About The Adaptation Of The Broadway Musical

Have you tried defying gravity? Because these two most certainly have. 

When it comes to modern musicals, one that I always think about is Wicked. The Broadway play was released early in the 2000s with stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in the lead roles, and its songs, like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” are well-known throughout the world. It was really only a matter of time before this fantastic musical got the movie treatment that we all know it deserved. 

And now, it’s happening. It’s actually happening after years of hearing about it nonstop. We are getting a Wicked movie – or, rather, movies. If you’re as curious about Wicked as we are, here is what we know so far about the highly anticipated musical movie.  

What Is The Wicked Release Date?

Wicked, Part 1 is set to come out on November 27, 2024.  The film was originally set to release on December 25, 2024, but was pushed forward so it wouldn’t be in the theaters at the same time with bigger competition. Additionally, the second part is set to release on December 25, 2025. 

I know what you just did – a double-take, because you, like me, can’t believe that they’re splitting this movie up into two parts, but apparently that’s what’s happening. But that just means we’ll be getting one part on the 2024 movie schedule and then we have another part to look forward to in 2025.  

Watch The Official Trailer for Wicked

If you’re like me and you’re just champing at the bit to see this film, we have you covered. Wicked has finally dropped its first trailer and it’s about as beautiful and magical as you can expect it to be – even if it is a little long for my liking. Check it out above, including a first look into the phenomenal singing we will get to hear. 

The Wicked Cast

With any Wicked cast list, we already know that the overall ensemble is going to be filled to the brim with talent, and we know exactly who is going to be playing whom: 

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Granda as Elphaba Thropp and Galinda Upland

When casting the famous Glinda and Elphaba, it’s hard to imagine anyone else besides Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in the roles, because they made them just so iconic. But, there are two major stars who are cast in the main roles, and they are Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Grande will play Glinda, and Erivo will be playing Elphaba. 

Both of these stars have done their fair share of work in the industry. Grande is best known for her music but has been on Broadway before and also had a small role in the 2021 Adam McKay movie, Don’t Look Up. Erivo has won a Tony, Grammy and Daytime Emmy for her acting and singing talents. She played the part of Celie in the revival of The Color Purple on Broadway, as well as roles in movies such as Harriet, Bad Times at the El Royale and many more. 

Both actresses were equally excited about their roles when they received the call, according to Entertainment Weekly in May 2024, and judging from the trailers, I have a feeling their chemistry is only going to get better.  

Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

The next person confirmed is Jeff Goldblum, who will also be a main star in the cast, according to an October 2022 Variety article. Goldblum will portray The Wizard – i.e. the actual Wizard of Oz. Goldblum is a well-known actor who has appeared in a variety of films, such as the Jurassic Park franchise, Thor: Ragnarok and many more. 

Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible

Moving on, we have Michelle Yeoh, who is confirmed to appear in the film, according to another article from Variety in early December 2022, and she is set to play Madame Morrible, the headmaster of the school that Elphaba and Glinda attend. Yeoh is a talented actress who has been in the business for decades. She starred in Everything Everywhere All At Once in 2022, which earned her an Academy Award win, and recently starred in A Haunting in Venice and in the Netflix TV show, The Brothers Sun, in 2023. 

Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar

The ensemble cast also includes Jonathan Bailey, according to Variety, which was announced in September 2022, and he is going to be playing Fiyero from the musical. Bailey is primarily known for his role in Bridgerton where he plays Anthony Bridgerton. 

Ethan Slater as Boq

Also set to star is Ethan Slater, according to Variety, which was also announced in early December 2022, and will play Boq. Slater is primarily known for his role as Spongebob in Spongebob: The Musical. 

Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond

Let’s talk about the greatest news ever – Peter Dinklage has been cast as the voice of Doctor Dillamond, according to The Hollywood Reporter in April 2024. The actor is primarily known for his critically acclaimed role on Game of Thrones, where he played Tyrion Lannister. 

Additional Members Of Oz

Of course there are plenty of other stars that will appear in the world of Oz. Deadline confirmed the rest of the cast in December 2022, which includes the following:

• Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
• Bowen Yang as Pfannee
• Bronwyn James as ShenShen
• Keala Settle as Miss Coddle
• Aaron Teoh as Averic
• Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikidik

I literally cannot wait for this new movie – and for all of these amazingly talented actors to show their skills in the world of Oz. 

The Film Will Be Adapted From The Broadway Musical Of The Same Name

The Wicked movie is going to be an adaptation of the original stage production of the same name. The musical is loosely based on the novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, written by Gregory Maguire, which is a spinoff of the popular children’s novel, The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. 

The musical tells the story of the early years of Glinda and Elphaba when they were teenagers in school, and how they became friends. But, in a world where Elphaba doesn’t feel appreciated for who she is, she takes her power into her own hands – causing Glinda and her to grow apart. Wicked is a story about everlasting friendship, and how just one person can change your life forever. 

Both Familiar And New Songs Will Be Included In The Movies

Obviously with any adaptation of a movie musical, you want to make sure that there are as many songs from that musical included so that the fans are happy, and for Wicked, there’s no shortage of music that fans will recognize. 

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in December 2023, Cynthia Erivo revealed what she was excited about the most for fans to see, and she revealed that she hopes the fans are moved by the songs, specifically “For Good,” a classic song from the musical, but that she was also excited for “The Wizard and I:”

While we’re not sure how many songs from the original musical are going to appear in the movies, we do know there will also be new songs. From The Schwartz Scene back in June 2022, it was confirmed that Stephen Schwartz (the composer behind Wicked), was composing new songs for the movies. At the time it was in the demo phase, so we’re not sure what will be included in the final piece, but I have a feeling it’ll be great regardless. 

Something else that we do know about these songs is that live vocals were used during the filming of the movie, according to an interview with Vanity Fair in May 2024 – and now I’m even more excited. 

Jon M. Chu Directed

If that name sounds familiar, then you should get very excited. According to a February 2021 Deadline announcement, Jon M. Chu is directing the Wicked films and is sure to blow it out of the water with how amazing his track record is. 

Chu directed the fantastic romantic comedy hit, Crazy Rich Asians, which earned rave reviews. He also directed the fun 2021 musical, In the Heights, an adaptation of another famous musical from Broadway that was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He worked on many other music-based films such as the Step Up franchise and Justin Bieber’s concert films. 

Truly, having Chu as the director is such a win for this movie, and I have a feeling that it’s going to be amazingly done.

Wicked isn’t going to be in theaters until later this year, but I have a feeling that when it does come, it’ll be so much fun – and it’ll be an opportunity for the soundtrack to get stuck in my head for hours on end again and again.