Fans of the beloved Broadway musical Wicked can finally rejoice as the first glimpses of the upcoming film adaptation have been revealed.
Even though the (first) movie is still a year and a half away from its release, director Jon Chu took to Twitter to give fans a sneak peek of what they can expect from the highly anticipated film.
Chu posted two photos, one of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and another of Ariana Grande as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South.
In the caption, Chu teased fans by stating, “You weren’t told the whole story. What happens when you veer off the Yellow Brick Road? Here is your very FIRST LOOK of #WickedMovie … currently in production in Oz.”
You weren’t told the whole story. What happens when you veer off the Yellow Brick Road? Here is your very FIRST LOOK of #WickedMovie … currently in production in Oz. 🌪️🫧🧹@WickedMovie @UniversalPics pic.twitter.com/pKdTTmi6kD
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) April 16, 2023
The film boasts an impressive cast in addition to Grande and Erivo, including Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madam Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.
The musical will be split into two films, and the first of the two is scheduled for a theatrical release on November 27, 2024.
This production has been a long time coming, as the musical premiered on Broadway 20 years ago in 2003 and has since earned more than $1 billion at the box office around the world.
The film adaptation was first announced in 2016, and it took another five years before Erivo and Grande were announced as the two women who had captured the lead roles. They are taking over for Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth, who originated the characters on Broadway and both earned Tony Award nominations for their work, with Menzel coming out on top.
While it’s exciting to finally see what the characters will look like on the big screen, fans will have to continue to wait patiently for the full film to be released — and then they can wait again for the second installment to arrive.
The first look has certainly given fans something to look forward to, and with such a talented cast and director–and one of the most powerful brands in musical history–these movies may go on to become historic hits.
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