Wicked

Wicked, released in 2024, adapts the first half of the stage musical Wicked, itself based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Jon M. Chu directed the film from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman, who wrote the musical's book. Universal Pictures split the adaptation into two films, with the second installment scheduled as Wicked: For Good for a theatrical release in November 2025. The story reimagines L. Frank Baum's Oz before Dorothy arrives, following the uneasy friendship between Elphaba and Galinda, two young women whose public identities will become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, born with green skin and treated as an outsider at Shiz University. Ariana Grande portrays Galinda Upland, initially a status-conscious student who later adopts the name Glinda. Their rivalry begins when Madame Morrible, the university's stern headmistress, assigns them to share a room. Michelle Yeoh plays Morrible, while Jeff Goldblum appears as the Wizard of Oz. Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero Tigelaar, the charming prince whose attention complicates the relationship between the two students. Ethan Slater is Boq Woodsman, a Munchkin student with an unreturned affection for Galinda. The film also features Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Elphaba's younger sister, and Peter Dinklage as Doctor Dillamond, a goat professor. At Shiz, Elphaba's unexpected magical ability attracts the Wizard's interest, but Doctor Dillamond's warnings about animals losing their voices reveal a growing political threat in Oz. The women travel to Emerald City after Elphaba is invited to meet the Wizard. There, his apparent charisma gives way to a demand that Elphaba use the Grimmerie, an ancient spellbook, to advance his program. She refuses when she understands the harm involved. The break turns Elphaba into a fugitive and creates the official narrative that labels her wicked. Galinda, meanwhile, must decide whether to remain aligned with power or preserve her bond with Elphaba. Major musical numbers include "Defying Gravity," "Popular," "The Wizard and I," and "What Is This Feeling?" Filming took place primarily at Sky Studios Elstree in Hertfordshire, England, with production beginning in 2022. Chu reunited with cinematographer Alice Brooks, his collaborator on In the Heights. Paul Tazewell designed the costumes. The film premiered in Sydney on November 3, 2024, before its United States theatrical release on November 22. Its songs retain Stephen Schwartz's music and lyrics from the musical.