Flying into our hearts this Thanksgiving, Wicked the movie debuts its first trailer during the Super Bowl. Leaving viewers with their jaws dropped and feeling oz-tastic, this trailer has us saying one thing, “Popular, you’re going to be popular.”
Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, which then inspired the extremely popular musical, Wicked the movie is gearing up to be a must-see. For over two decades, Wicked has captured fans’ hearts. Add that to the fact that musical lovers get excited anytime there is a new adaptation to the big screen. So it makes sense that for years people have been holding their breath, waiting to see what Wicked the movie would be like.
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The consensus is in, it looks flawless. There are notes of the music, including the “Defying Gravity” riff that is notorious with Elphaba. The costumes are breathtaking, the scenes are magical, the leading ladies are shining, and we even get snippets of what we can only suspect is Wicked Part 2.
That’s right, for the first time, we are seeing a musical adaptation being split into two parts. Wicked Part One releases in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024, while Part Two will hit theaters on Nov. 26, 2025. You can check out the newly revealed first-look trailer below:
Return to the World of Oz in Wicked
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights), Wicked tells the story of what happened, before Dorthy arrived. The tale of friendship and a deep bond that resides between Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good. Starting as roommates who couldn’t possibly see eye to eye, the duo will face some of the biggest highs and lows of their life.
Elphaba, played by Broadway legend and Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo(Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple), is misjudged for her unusual green skin. Turning to her studies, Elphaba dreams of the day that she might be able to change people’s opinions of her while getting a better understanding of her powers. Whereas Glinda, played by Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist Ariana Granda, is Miss Popular. She dances through life carefree, blindly enjoying the privilege of her life. Together this unlikely pair will forever change each other, and change the Land of Oz in the process.
Meet the Cast Behind the Film
The trailer did a great job of showcasing all of the big names and roles that play a part. Almost like a digital Playbill. Along with the leading ladies, we saw a glimpse of Fiyero, the love interest, played by Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton). Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, who is playing headmistress Madame Morrible, steals every scene she is in. As well as teasing us with a few flashes of Jeff Goldblum who is playing the legendary Wizard of Oz.
The only people we don’t really see here are the two minor characters, Nessarose, played by Marissa Bode, and Boq, played by Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants). We did get a far-off glimpse of Nessarose during the Oz Fest scene, which makes sense because you can’t have a Wicked trailer without the hat.
The cast rounds out with two of Glinda’s compatriots, Pfannee(Bowen Yang) and ShenShen (Bronwyn James), who we see on the stairs as Elphaba walks up. We also will be introduced to a new character, created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Tony nominee and breakout star from The greatest Showman, Keala Settle.
RELATED: Wicked Release Date Moved To Late 2024
One of the things we learned from 2023 is that we love a good press strategy and tour. Margot Robbie set the bar incredibly high when she was promoting Barbie and I think the next big press event is going to be Wicked. Not only do you have two leading ladies who are theater lovers, so they understand the razzle-dazzle, but just look at what the women were wearing to The Super Bowl. In glitter Glinda realness, both were wearing their color-coded jerseys. Cynthia Erivo was repping the green, while Ariana Grande rocked the pink.
However, what takes the prize in this photo, is the nod to a detail that only fans of Wicked would get. If you notice on the back, it says Galinda, not Glinda. That is because it isn’t until the second half of the musical that she drops the Ga. Since Wicked is being broken up into two movies, this attention to detail is perfect and only hypes up fans even more. Plus, Cynthia Erivo has stated on her Instagram that this is just the start.
Along with the trailer, Universal revealed a new poster for the upcoming film. You can also get a look at the post artwork below:
It’s clear from the Wicked trailer that the whole team behind this production knows exactly what fans want. It also goes to show why it’s so important that when musical movie adaptations are made by people who understand what made these shows so powerful and moving to begin with.
Coming to theaters November 27th, with Wicked Part Two following behind a year later, this is a musical adventure you are not going to want to miss.
About Wicked Part One
Release Date: November 27, 2024
Director: Jon M. Chu
Screenplay: Winnie Holzman
Executive Producers: David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz, and Jared LeBoff
Producers: Marc Platt and David Stone
Distribution: Universal Pictures
Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James and Keala Settle
Synopsis: The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
What did you think of the debut trailer for the film? Are you a big fan of the Wicked musical? Are you looking forward to the big-screen adaptation? Let us know your thoughts about the new trailer release on The Illuminerdi’s social media.
SOURCE: Universal Pictures
KEEP READING: Wicked The Movie Scheduled to be Broken Up into 2 Parts
