Finally, finally, finally. Wicked The Movie is coming! Well, Wicked The Movies!
It has been, literally, years in the making (the Wicked stage musical is 20 years old next year!) but the Wicked movies are finally going to be with us by the end of the year after next, and the year after that! 2024 and 2025. It’s still a wait, but we have got it in us.
Here’s our updated look at what we know so far about the Wicked movies – Parts I and II.
Also don’t forget live is always better! – so book tickets to Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London.
Wicked movies – Release dates
Wicked Part I was originally set to be released in the US on 25 December 2024. But now Part I will get a US release date of 27 November 2024 – a full month earlier than originally scheduled.
No news on UK dates but we are expecting Christmas 2024; and no news on exact Part II dates, although it will be the Christmas holidays / December 2025.
Where are the Wicked movies filming?
The movies are going to film in the UK. They will film at the brand new Sky Studios Elstree in Hertfordshire, just outside London. Sky Studios Elstree houses 13 sound stages across 27.5 acres.
Who’s in the cast of the Wicked movies?
The Wicked movies will star Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.
Also Jonathan Bailey will play Fiyero. Jonathan recently starred in the play Cock on the London stage, and is not averse to a musical given his Olivier Award winning run in Sondheim’s Company in London, plus he has screen sex-appeal aplenty courtesy of his starring role in Netflix’s Bridgerton.
(There have been lots of rumours as to who will play Fiyero, notably Harry Styles has been mentioned a lot in terms of the part. Also Broadway actors including Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rogue), Darren Criss (Glee) , Jordan Fisher (Rent: Live, Dear Evan Hansen) or the producer’s son Ben Platt (The Politician)… Marc Platt also produced Dear Evan Hansen – stage show and movie).
The Wizard will be played by Hollywood star Jeff Goldblum.
Ethan Slater has been cast in the role of Boq.
And Michelle Yeoh has been cast as Madame Morrible.
Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman) will play Miss Coddle.
Other cast include Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Bronwyn James as ShenShen, Aaron Teoh as Avaric, and Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikidik.
Here’s the moment that the director, Jon M. Chu, told Cynthia and Ariana they had got the parts!
Wicked movies – Director and Writers
The Wicked movie is directed by Jon M. Chu, who is best known for Crazy Rich Asians and In The Heights.
The writers are obviously Stephen Schwarz, given that songs are from musical; plus the original source material – Gregory Maguire’s novel “Wicked: Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”. And Winnie Holzman’s book for the show, plus Stephen and Winnie are also adapting the stage show and writing the screenplay for the movie.
Why are the Wicked movies in two parts?
In April 2022 the director of the movies Jon M. Chu posted this special Wicked update on Twitter about making it two movies. He said, “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.”
Who is producing the Wicked movies?
Producers are Marc Platt through his Marc Platt Productions (Marc – father of Ben Platt – produced the stage show; plus Universal Pictures , who are distributing. On the Universal side will be Universal’s senior executive vice president of production Erik Baiers, and vice president of production development Lexi Barta.
Also Brian Popkin is line producer and David Stone is also credited as producer. There will be about 5,000 other executive producer credits to come.
Who are the crew of the Wicked movies?
This may change considerably, and is not the full crew (who will run to thousands of names), but IMDB is currently listing the following people:
Cinematography is by Alice Brooks; Production Design by Nathan Crowley; Stage choreographer is Wayne Cilento; Art Direction by Artie Contreras, Kevin Gilbert, Sarah Ginn, Nathan Krochmal and Sally Ledger; Costume Design by Paul Tazewell; Make up and Hair supervisor Karen Cohen; Production Manager Miranda Marks; in the Art Department are Nicola Bisello (Set Dec Coordinator), Charlotte Charik (construction coordinator), Maggie Ditré (assistant art director), Scot Erb (senior model maker), Lara Genovese (set designer), Deborah Jurvis (Art Department Coordinator), Philip Keller (storyboard artist), Bria Kinter (set designer), Chris Lees (digital set designer), Anita Ley (art department production assistant), Jonathan Opgenhaffen (concept artist), Chris Peters (hod metalworker), Michael Pybus (assistant art director), Pollyanna Seath (supervising construction coordinator), Dean Sherriff (concept designer), Robert Shillibeer (carpenter), Talia Spencer (concept illustrator), Julie Vash (set designer) and Hang Dara Zhao (Assistant Art Director); Production sound mixer is Simon Hayes; in Special Effects are Mark Evans (lead senior technician), Tomasz Podraza (engineer); Head stunt rigger is Daryl Andrews; in Casting are Dana Gaier (casting assistant) and Ryan Bernard Tymensky (casting associate); in the Costume and Wardrobe Department are Jason Castagna (Concept Illustrator), Imogene Chayes (costume concept artist), Maria Endara (senior costume maker), and Darrell Warner (Costume Illustrator); Location Management consists of Marialucia Apicella (assistant location manager), Lisa Latter (location manager), Adam Richards (supervising location manager); and Additional Crew incudes Rachel Benicek (2nd Assistant Accountant), Jon Duncan (Financial Controller), Sean Duncan (Assistant Construction Accountant), Jessica Evans (assistant), Nejel Reyes (Screen Credits) and Carly Schoepflin (Travel Coordinator).
