‘Wicked’ Photos Offer First Look at Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as Glinda and Elphaba

Christian Zilko
Updated ·2 min read
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Former theatre kids around the world, take a collective breath: We officially have our first look at Ariana Granda and Cynthia Erivo in the “Wicked” movie.

Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of the “Wizard of Oz” prequel — which won three Tony Awards and went on to become one of the most lucrative Broadway musicals ever — has earned plenty of buzz for its high-profile casting announcements. But while production has quietly taken place in London, fans haven’t had a chance to see the star-studded cast in action yet.

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But on Sunday morning, Jon M. Chu took to his personal Instagram account — which has become a primary source for announcements about the film, to reveal two new pictures of Erivo and Grande in costume. Erivo donned green makeup and a broom to play Elphaba (better known as the Wicked Witch of the West) and Grande wore a pink dress while descending a staircase as Glinda the Good Witch.

“You weren’t told the whole story,” Chu wrote. “What happens when you veer off the Yellow Brick Road? FIRST LOOK of the #WickedMovie … currently in production in Oz.”

In addition to Grande and Erivo, “Wicked” stars Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Adam James, Keala Settle, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Ethan Slater, and Colin Michael Carmichael. Winnie Holzman, who earned a Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical for her work on the original Broadway production of “Wicked,” returned to write the screenplay.

The “Wicked” adaptation promises to be a sprawling cinematic experience, unfolding over the course of two films that will hit theaters in December 2024 and 2025, respectively. Chu announced the decision to split it up into two movies last year, explaining that the extra length was needed in order to expand the narrative of the original musical without cutting any beloved songs.

“We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one ‘Wicked’ movie but two!” Chu wrote in a 2022 Instagram post announcing the decision. “With more space, we can tell the story of ‘Wicked’ as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

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