Movie News

Wicked: Part Two of Jon Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway smash moves up a month

By Steve Seigh

Posted 3 years ago

Jon Chu’s Wicked Part Two is hopping onto a broomstick and riding to a new release date. Universal Pictures is officially moving the second part of Chu’s Broadway adaptation to November 26, 2025. Initially, the Wicked Part Two release date was scheduled to cast a spell on Christmas 2025, with Wicked Part One opening worldwide on November 27, 2024.

Universal has been working on a Wicked film adaptation since 2004. Stephen Daldry was initially attached to direct but left the project due to scheduling conflicts. The movie’s original release was December 22, 2021, but that didn’t happen. In addition to Covid casting a production hex, Chu went back and forth about dividing the story into two captivating presentations.

The three-time Tony Award-winning stage musical was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel by writer Winnie Holzman and composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz, who collaborated on the adaptation of the screenplay. The story explains how a green-skinned woman framed by the Wizard of Oz becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire’s yarn is the ultimate fairy tale origin story and could have you rooting for the villain by the time it’s all over.

sponsored content

While Chu intends to honor the source material, he plans to bring more depth to the characters during the two-film production. Cynthia Erivo will star as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, with Ariana Grande playing Glinda, the Good Witch. Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University, an institution of higher education in Shiz in Gillikin, the northern province of Oz. Jeff Goldblum plays The Wizard of Oz, with Jonathan Bailey playing Fiyero, Adam James as Glinda’s Father, Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Bronwyn James as ShenShen, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Colin Michael Carmichael as Nikidik.

I am genuinely stoked for Jon Chu’s adaptation of Wicked. Maguire’s novel was one of my favorite books in college, and I’m excited to see how the story translates to the silver screen. It’s an epic tale that warrants getting split into two parts, even if the wait for Wicked Part Two will be excruciating. Are you looking forward to the film version of Wicked? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Deadline

Tags: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jon Chu, Wicked

About the Author

Steve Seigh

News Editor / Columnist

10,215 Articles Published

Favorite Movies: Death to Smoochy, The Big Lebowski, Fear and Loathing in Las read more Vegas, The Crow, KPop Demon Hunters, The Sword in the Stone, Spirited Away, The Fisher King, The Shining, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, The Burbs, The Babadook, Summer Wars, The Princess Bride, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Game, In the Mouth of Madness, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Monsters Inc., Amelie, The Crow, Fight Club, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Likes: Getting lost in waves of sound while cocooned in a pair read more of serious headphones, comic book characters, film, and television, a delicious tumbler of whiskey, scientifically-inclined Canadians, wearing pajamas in public, pancakes, bacon, and long walks on the beach

The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.

What’s Not Allowed

Abusive language, insults, or harassment toward other users or staff.
Hate speech of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Bickering, bullying, personal attacks, or baiting others to argue
Extended off-topic debates, especially those centered on politics or religion rather than the article topic
No AI content or SPAM