Wicked Part Two Explained

Director:Jon M. Chu
Screenplay:Winnie Holzman
Music:John Powell
Cinematography:Alice Brooks
Editing:Myron Kerstein
Studio:Marc Platt Productions
Distributor:Universal Pictures
Language:English
Budget:$165 million

Wicked Part Two is an upcoming American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman. The sequel to Wicked (2024), it is the second of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which in turn was based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire and characters from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, with Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, and Peter Dinklage in supporting roles.

Wicked Part Two is set for release by Universal Pictures in the United States on November 26, 2025.

Cast

Additionally, Aaron Teoh will appear as Averic, Fiyero's friend; Grecia de la Paz will appear as Gilligan; Colin Michael Carmichael will appear as Professor Nikidik, a professor at Shiz University; and Adam James will appear as Glinda's father, another new character created for this film. The character Dorothy Gale, a Kansas farm girl who is accidentally transported to the Land of Oz by a tornado with her dog Toto, will also be featured.[9]

Production

Development

A film adaptation for the Broadway musical Wicked was announced in 2012,[10] with a scheduled release date of December 20, 2019.[11] After numerous delays, the film eventually secured a release date of November 27, 2024.[12] In April 2022, director Jon M. Chu announced that the adaptation would be split in two parts, Wicked: Part One and Wicked Part Two, saying:

Pre-production

In June 2022, Stephen Schwartz added, while confirming that a new song will be written for one of the two films:[13]

In November 2022, Schwartz revealed that the film will include two new songs "to meet the demands of the storytelling."[14]

Filming

Principal photography began alongside Part One, and had nearly been completed by July 2023 before production was suspended due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[15] Both films resumed production on January 24, 2024 and concluded filming on January 26.[16] The vocals of the actors during the musical numbers were recorded live on set, with Academy Award-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes collaborating with Chu on the recordings of the actors' vocals, using a variation of the same recording techniques that were implemented on Les Misérables (2012).[17] [18] [19] [20] Chu also cited Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook as a source of inspiration for the film's use of large-scale sets and practical effects to bring the many elements of the Land of Oz to life, including nine million colorful tulips planted on location to surround the Munchkinland set and an actual Yellow Brick Road paved on the ground with real mud.[21] [22]

Post-production and visual effects

On February 6, 2024, it was confirmed on Twitter that Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore[23] will provide the film's visual effects with Pablo Helman serving as visual effects supervisor, and that post-production work was in progress, with Chu working remotely with editor Myron Kerstein via communication through the newly-released Apple Vision Pro.[24] [25] [26]

Music

The soundtrack albums for both this film and Wicked will be released by Republic Records/Verve Label Group, Grande and Erivo's respective record labels. In July 2024, it was revealed that John Powell had composed the incidental underscore for the film, reprising his duties from the previous film.[27] Jeff Atmajian updated William David Brohn's original orchestrations for the songs and enlarged the orchestra from the stage version's original 23 musicians to 80 for the film.[28] [29]

Release

Wicked Part Two is scheduled to be released theatrically, including engagements in RealD 3D, IMAX and Dolby Cinema, on November 26, 2025 by Universal Pictures, after previously being set for a December 25, 2025 release.[30]

Marketing

Exclusive work-in-progress footage from both films in the two-part adaptation, including first listens to Grande and Erivo's respective renditions of "Popular" and "Defying Gravity", was presented at CinemaCon on April 26, 2023, introduced on stage by Universal Pictures chairwoman Donna Langley.[31] The first trailer for the first film, in the form of a 60 second "First Look," premiered during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024, showing brief clips from Part Two that confirmed that the film would contain new scenes to expand the plot of the musical's second act, including one of the Wizard ordering Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion to hunt down Elphaba, as depicted in the original The Wizard of Oz story.[32] [33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shaffer . Ellise . Donnelly . Matt . Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo to Star in 'Wicked' Musical for Universal . . 5 November 2021 . November 4, 2021 . June 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220615170245/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-wicked-musical-universal-1235105480/ . live .
  2. Web site: Jackson . Angelique . Wicked Movie Casts Ethan Slater Opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (EXCLUSIVE) . . 8 December 2022 . December 7, 2022 . December 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221213153530/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/wicked-movie-cast-ethan-slater-1235452035/ . live .
  3. Web site: Jackson . Angelique . Wicked Movie Casts Ethan Slater Opposite Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (EXCLUSIVE) . . 8 December 2022 . December 7, 2022 . December 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221213153530/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/wicked-movie-cast-ethan-slater-1235452035/ . live .
  4. Web site: Malkin . Marc . Michelle Yeoh to Star in Wicked Movies as Madame Morrible (EXCLUSIVE) . . 8 December 2022 . December 8, 2022 . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215205241/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/michelle-yeoh-wicked-madame-morrible-1235454299/ . live .
  5. Web site: Laudenbach . Sarah . 2022-12-10 . Jeff Goldblum Confirmed As Wicked's Wizard Of Oz In Exciting Movie Update . 2023-10-02 . Screen Rant.
  6. Web site: Malkin . Marc . 2022-09-21 . Jonathan Bailey Joins 'Wicked' Movies as Fiyero (EXCLUSIVE) . 2022-09-21 . Variety . en-US . February 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230215205245/https://variety.com/2022/film/news/jonathan-bailey-wicked-movies-fiyero-1235343153/ . live .
  7. Web site: Kroll . Justin . Wicked Adaptation At Universal Rounds Out Inclusive All-Star Cast With Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James . . 9 December 2022 . December 9, 2022 . December 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217163436/https://deadline.com/2022/12/wicked-universal-marissa-bode-bowen-yang-bronwyn-james-1235194692/ . live .
  8. Web site: McClintock . Pamela . 2024-04-10 . 'Wicked' Casts Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond the Goat . 2024-04-10 . The Hollywood Reporter.
  9. Web site: 'Deadpool 3', 'Twisters', 'Quiet Place: Day One', 'Inside Out 2' Among Potential Super Bowl Movie Spots . February 5, 2024 .
  10. http://broadwayworld.com/article/WICKED-Film-to-Enter-Development-Soon-20121213 WICKED Film to Enter Development 'Soon'
  11. Web site: Universal's 'Wicked' Movie Adaptation Gets December 2019 Release. Hollywood Reporter. June 16, 2016 . 2019-04-09. 2019-01-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190106014354/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/universals-wicked-movie-adaptation-gets-903598. live.
  12. Web site: Petski . Densie . March 14, 2023 . Universal Moves Up 'Wicked' Part 1 Release Date . March 14, 2023 . Deadline.
  13. Web site: Willman . Chris . 'Wicked' Songwriter Stephen Schwartz on Why the Movie Must Be a Two-Parter: Nothing Can Follow 'Defying Gravity' . Variety . June 28, 2022 . June 28, 2022.
  14. Web site: Major . Michael . Second WICKED Movie Will Include Two New Songs . 2022-12-13 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.
  15. Thompson . Jaden . July 19, 2023 . Wicked Had 10 Days Left of Filming Before Strike Shut Down Production, Says Stephen Schwartz . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240109195346/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/wicked-shut-down-sag-strike-1235674571/ . January 9, 2024 . February 19, 2024 . Variety.
  16. Web site: Anderson . Jenna . Wicked Movie Wraps Filming, Cynthia Erivo Shares Major Set Photo . Comicbook.com . 27 January 2024 . January 27, 2024.
  17. Web site: Rahbar . Sabba . Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater Hold Hands While Taking Their Love From Emerald City to New York City . . 25 January 2024 . January 24, 2024.
  18. Web site: Anderson . Jenna . Wicked Movie Wraps Filming, Cynthia Erivo Shares Major Set Photo . Comicbook.com . 27 January 2024 . January 27, 2024.
  19. Web site: Tinoco . Armando . 'Wicked' Musical Adaptation Wraps Filming: Ariana Grande & Director Jon M. Chu Share Emotional Messages . Deadline Hollywood . 28 January 2024 . January 27, 2024.
  20. Web site: Wicked The Movies: What we know so far . westendtheatre.com . March 15, 2023 . 2024-02-10.
  21. Web site: Murphy . Chris . Inside ‘Wicked’: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo Talk Glinda and Elphaba . Vanity Fair . 21 July 2024 . 21 March 2024.
  22. Web site: Schreur . Brandon . Wicked Director Talks Realistic Sets, Modeling Movie After Steven Spielberg’s Hook . ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More . 21 July 2024 . 21 March 2024.
  23. Web site: Frei . Vincent . 2024-02-12 . Wicked Part One . 2024-04-19 . The Art of VFX . fr-FR.
  24. 1754918878638133500 . jonmchu . Next up: remote VFX review meeting with @ILMVFX … should I show up with my Persona? A full on digital recreation of me (with slight uncanny valley) giving notes on getting rid of uncanny valley on digitial creatures? This might be too much #VisionPro #Wicked . . February 6, 2024 . June 1, 2024.
  25. 1754760775145787902 . jonmchu . Day 3 with the @Apple #VisionPro … I got stuck at the house because of the LA floods so I couldn't go into the edit room. So I edited #WickedMovie remotely with my editor #MyronKerstein on @EvercastUS and it worked flawlessly. I need to repeat this out loud. I was in it for HOURS editing on a virtual giant screen (the size of a real movie screen) a major motion picture from the comfort of my house. With no headache. I can't tell you what a revelation this was. This is big stakes cutting edge productivity work that is available to use today! I am still shook. I don't think people fully realize the amount of workflow breakthroughs I think the VisionPro will lead to. This is not an ad. Just me being excited about technology and creativity. Hail to the nerds and artists. . . February 6, 2024 . June 1, 2024.
  26. Web site: Frei . Vincent . 2023-11-02 . Killers of the Flower Moon: Pablo Helman – Production VFX Supervisor – ILM . 2024-02-08 . The Art of VFX . fr-FR.
  27. Web site: July 3, 2024 . John Powell Scoring Jon M. Chu's 'Wicked' . July 3, 2024 . Film Music Reporter.
  28. Web site: Sharpe . Josh . John Powell Scoring WICKED Movie With Stephen Schwartz . BroadwayWorld.com . 10 July 2024 . 8 July 2024 . en.
  29. Web site: Giere . Carol de . The Schwartz Scene updates on the Wicked Soundtrack from Stephen Schwartz . The Schwartz Scene . 10 July 2024.
  30. Web site: Kroll . Justin . 2023-06-20 . Wicked Part Two From Universal And Jon Chu Moves Up A Month To Thanksgiving 2025 . 2023-06-20 . Deadline Hollywood.
  31. 'Wicked' defies gravity with surprise footage reveal at CinemaCon . .
  32. Web site: Super Bowl Movie Trailers: 'Deadpool 3,' 'Wicked' and 'Quiet Place' Prequel Spots Poised to Dominate Big Game . February 5, 2024 .
  33. Web site: 'Deadpool 3', 'Twisters', 'Quiet Place: Day One', 'Inside Out 2' Among Potential Super Bowl Movie Spots . February 5, 2024 .

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