Get out your broomsticks and witch hats: Wicked is preparing its return to theaters and invites us to defy gravity... as well as the Wizard of Oz. Last December, the cult musical left the Broadway and West End stages and made its way to the big screen for the very first time. More than just a song-and-dance adventure, the adaptation by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians / Where We Come From) has transformed composer Stephen Schwartz's work into a true blockbuster. Universal's decision to split Wicked into two parts not only allowed them to pay homage to the original play, but also to give it a fantastical and epic dimension worthy of the greatest Hollywood productions.
Because before being a cult show, the world of Wicked is a dark and mature reinterpretation of the Wizard of Oz universe, written and published by American author Gregory McGuire in 1995. And on stage as on screen, it is with its second act that the musical version of Wicked gets to the heart of the matter. Political tensions, propaganda and moral dilemmas await Elphaba and Glinda in what promises to be a most memorable climax. The first trailer obviously focuses on the relationship between the two heroines, one evolving alongside the Wizard while the other has become the kingdom's number 1 enemy. Many challenges await them.
Moreover, it should be noted that events from The Wizard of Oz have been recreated to offer two levels of interpretation. On the one hand, they will be able to rediscover Dorothy's quest on the yellow brick road. On the other, they will follow Elphaba's emancipatory adventure. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo will be back, as will Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater. As a reminder, the two-part film was shot in one go so that audiences could discover these two chapters in less than a year.
The date is thus set for November 19 in France. In 2024, Wicked was a resounding success for Universal Pictures. The musical grossed $756 million worldwide, on a budget of $145 million. The company hopes to do at least as well with this conclusion. Competition will nevertheless be tough at the end of the year. A week after its release, the film will be competing with another highly anticipated family blockbuster: Zootopia 2. A month later, Avatar: Fire and Ash will hit theaters and cause a stir on the international scene.
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