After greater than a decade of makes an attempt, the “Wicked” film is actually occurring. Back in November 2021, director Jon M. Chu (who directed “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights”) introduced that the movie will star Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
As the film heads into manufacturing this month, Chu has been rounding out the movie’s forged. On Dec. 9, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, Aaron Teoh, and Colin Michael Carmichael all joined the forged. Universal didn’t instantly reply to POPSUGAR’s request for remark, however Deadline first reported the information. Deadline additionally seemingly confirmed that Jeff Goldblum will probably be enjoying the Wizard, which had been rumored for weeks.
Just the day earlier than, the film added yet one more famous person to the forged: Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible. Yeoh is at present stirring up main Oscar buzz for her starring position in 2022’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and most just lately appeared in Netflix’s “The School For Good and Evil.” Chu revealed on Twitter that he texted Yeoh, whom he beforehand labored with on “Crazy Rich Asians,” to ask if she wished the position.
Back in September, we additionally realized that “Bridgerton” heartthrob and Olivier Award winner Jonathan Bailey will seem within the movies because the story’s primary love curiosity, Fiyero. Chu confirmed Bailey’s casting on Sept. 21 on Twitter. “He’s excellent, they’re excellent. They’d be excellent collectively. Born to be ceaselessly,” wrote Chu. “I’m too excited to faux this hasn’t been occurring. We have a Fiyero!!!! #JonathanBailey #Wicked.”
He’s excellent, they’re excellent. They’d be excellent collectively. Born to be ceaselessly….. I’m too excited to faux this hasn’t been occurring. We have a Fiyero!!!! #JonathanBailey #Wicked https://t.co/meT51cGqDe
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) September 21, 2022
On Oct. 11 throughout preproduction, Grande shared some Instagram images from “Wicked” rehearsals. In the carousel’s first picture, the star posed alongside Erivo in a dance studio, and in one other, she smiled alongside choreographer Will Loftis, exhibiting the “Wicked” forged within the midst of preparing for the film’s epic musical numbers.
The forged and crew have been holding followers up to date with thrilling bulletins for the reason that movie was first confirmed. In an April Twitter publish, Chu revealed that they are truly going to separate the musical into two movies. He wrote partly, “Here’s what occurred: As we ready this manufacturing during the last 12 months, it turned more and more clear that it will be not possible to wrestle the story of ‘Wicked’ right into a single movie with out doing a little actual injury to it. As we tried to chop songs or trim characters, these choices started to really feel like deadly compromises to the supply materials that has entertained us all for thus a few years.”
He continued, “So we determined to offer ourselves an even bigger canvas and make not only one ‘Wicked’ film however TWO!!!! With more room, we will inform the story of ‘Wicked’ because it was meant to be advised whereas bringing much more depth and shock to the journeys of those beloved characters.”
Chu added, “Cynthia, Ariana and I — and all of the forged and crew — pledge to create nothing lower than an expertise that honors its basis for all of the followers who’ve waited for this film, and to supply an exciting, fantastical world filled with dynamic characters that invitations those that are unfamiliar.” The director additionally wrote that the primary film would come out Christmas 2024 and the second would hit theaters Christmas 2025.
Here’s every part we all know to date concerning the “Wicked” movies, together with launch dates, trailers, music, and a full breakdown of the forged of characters.