Everything You Need to Know About Wicked: Part One
Musical lovers worldwide are excitedly awaiting the arrival of Wicked: Part One, which will arrive in cinemas this November.
The upcoming flick is a film adaptation of the hit stage musical of the same name by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz.
As Wicked is the second highest-grossing musical in Broadway history, lagging behind The Lion King, millions of people will likely be eager to buy tickets for its silver screen debut.
If you’ll be one of them, here’s everything you need to know about Wicked: Part One.
What is the Wicked: Part One Release Date?
Wicked: Part One is scheduled for UK release on 22nd November 2022, and you can enjoy it on Dolby Cinema, IMAX, and RealD 3D.
The film, which is split into two parts, will enjoy its premiere in London on 18th November, too.
What’s the Story?
Wicked is the prequel to The Wizard of Oz (1939) and tells the story from the perspective of “The Wicked Witch of the West”.
In the stage play and movie, the witch is called Elphaba and is shunned due to her bright green skin. Despite being rejected by her family and peers because of her appearance, she soon shows a talent for magic and develops an unlikely friendship with Galinda, her popular roommate. However, a meeting with the Wizard of Oz forces the two to take different paths.
Who is in the Wicked: Part One Cast?
Broadway star Cynthia Erivo takes on the lead role of Elphaba, later known as “The Wicked Witch of the West”.
The 37-year-old English actress and singer won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Celie Harris Johnson in The Color Purple.
Also, she’s appeared in other theatre productions, such as Sister Act, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and, most recently, A Little Night Music.
Erivo is joined on screen by Grammy Award-winning artist Ariana Grande, who plays Galinda Upland, who eventually becomes known as “Glinda the Good”.
After starting her career on Broadway at 15 years old, she shot to fame in the hit Nickelodeon shows Victorious and Sam & Cat before enjoying a successful career as a singer-songwriter.
Since then, Ariana Grande has sold more than 90 million records internationally and is now one of the best-selling music artists in the world.
Many famous faces step into the roles of the musical’s iconic characters. For instance, Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park) is the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh (Star Trek: Discovery) plays Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) is Fiyero.
Supporting the cast is Broadway star Ethan Slater as Boq, Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) as Pfannee, and Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman) plays the brand-new role of Miss Coddle. Also, Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage will voice Doctor Dillamond, a history professor and goat.
Who Wrote the Screenplay?
Winnie Holzman, who wrote the book for the musical, returned to co-write Wicked: Part One and Part Two. Also, she created the hit 90s show My So-Called Life.
Dana Fox co-wrote the screenplay with Holzman. She’s best known for writing various successful comedy films, such as What Happens in Vegas (2008), Couples Retreat (2009), and Cruella (2021).
Who Directed the Film?
Jon M. Chu directed Wicked: Part One and Part Two. He is best known for directing Step Up 2: The Streets (2008), Now You See Me 2 (2016), and Crazy Rich Asians (2018).
Can I Watch an Official Trailer for Wicked: Part One?
Yes. You can watch the official Wicked trailer below. Also, you can watch the second trailer and the teaser trailer on YouTube.
When Will Wicked: Part Two Be Released?
You won’t need to wait too long for the second instalment, as production started on both films in December 2022. For this reason, Wicked: Part Two is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on 22nd November, 2025.
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[…] its release, many questioned if Wicked: Part One would be a box office success or failure, and it appears to be the […]