The long-awaited film adaptation of Wicked will be split in two. Part One will be released on December 25, 2024, with Part Two arriving a year later on December 25, 2025.
Christmas can be an excellent time to release musicals. In the past, The Greatest Showman, Lala Land, Dreamgirls, Chicago, and others have done well with December releases. However, in recent years, West Side Story and Cats have bombed in December. Last year saw In The Heights flop in June, so musicals aren’t having a great time at the box office.
Hoping To Be Popular
But Wicked might have the magic to overcome that streak. It’s a beloved crowd-pleaser with a devoted fanbase unlike that of any other Broadway musical. For that fanbase, this news may bring a sigh of relief. It will allow the film to remain more faithful to the musical without cutting too much out. It also allows for new material, including songs, to be added. None of the songs from the musical would be eligible for the Academy Award for Best Song From A Motion Picture, because they already exist. That’s why other musical adaptations have inserted new songs (including Cats) because that’s the only way to get a nomination.
Jon M. Chu, who helmed In The Heights, is also tackling Wicked. Even though In The Heights did poorly at the box office, it received critical acclaim (94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 88% from audiences via PostTrak, and an A CinemaScore). He also helmed Crazy, Rich Asians which was both a critical and financial success. Chu makes great films. With the built-in following for Wicked, it should translate well when the first movie is released.
Cynthia Erivo will portray the focal character, Elphaba, based on the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. Ariana Grande stars opposite her as Glinda, who was inspired by the Good Witch of the North. In this prequel, teenage versions of these two icons, are roommates at boarding school. The musical also explores the pre-Wizard of Oz lives of other famous characters.
‘Wicked The Musical’ – Two Parts Defying Gravity
The musical, and now the movie, is based on Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel, which was inspired by the works of L. Frank Baum (although it seems to draw more from the movie than the various books). The stage production featured a book by Winnie Holzman and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Among the most popular songs from the musical are “Popular,” “For Good” (which won’t be heard until Part Two), and of course, “Defying Gravity” (which closes out Part One). The stage productions have generated $3 billion in revenue.
Depending on your definition of “modern,” the first movie in modern times to be split into two parts was Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. More recently, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, and most recently, Dune have also been released in two parts. However, Lionsgate’s Insurgent was split in two, but the poor performance of the first resulted in the studio never making the second, leaving the franchise on a cliffhanger!
Wicked is the first musical to utilize this two-part strategy.
How do you feel? Are you happy or wary about Wicked being released in two parts?
