Only a few months remain till moviegoers are whisked away to the land of Oz through Wicked. The film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical has teased the world before Dorothy stepped down the yellow brick road, but new images showcase the sisterhood and friendship our characters have before the main events of the film. After all, those familiar with the musical know that before the two witches became enemies, they were close, and the film’s director, Jon M. Chu wanted to showcase that bond.
These new images showcase the youth and the fun these characters have in Oz. How the film has transformed Oz from what many have seen on stage to this magical world that has come to life and how these characters will be able to form strong bonds in various locations.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chu revealed that while the film will try to stay faithful to the source material, it will also have some changes to make the film unique, as well as emphasize the relationships formed in the upcoming picture. One example is the changes made during the performance of “Dancing Through Life,” where the character visits the Ozdust Ballroom. The director stated that the portrayal of that scene will have a “bigger purpose” compared to the stage show version.
“Our conception of the Ozdust is very different than what we’ve seen on stage,” Chu commented. “All of it had a bigger purpose in our movie. It’s this giant pivot when things start to get really real here for their relationships, and space and geography sometimes help express those things.”
‘Wicked’ Is Still a Two-Part Film
While “Part 1” and “Part 2” have been dropped from the Wicked‘s marketing, it’s still a two-parter. Chu has admitted this was intentional as he wants viewers to be satisfied and not worry too much about waiting for the next installment. He did reassure me that he isn’t putting half the effort into this project and that it will feel like viewers are watching a complete movie.
Starring in this magical film adaptation are Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda (aka Glinda the Good). Also starring in this feature are Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.
Wicked will be defying gravity in theaters on November 22, 2024. Follow Collider to keep up to date with the latest updates.
