Adapting one of the most successful and beloved musical theater productions into a feature film is a Herculean task. As much as fans of the musical Wicked are excited about the upcoming feature film adaptation, they are also rightfully protective. Wicked must be done right in order to satisfy the countless fans who have fallen in love with the musical since it first premiered on Broadway over 20 years ago.
Today, a new featurette seeks to allay any concerns that hardcore fans might have by focusing on the most critical element of any musical – live singing. Appropriately titled “Singing Live,” the behind-the-scenes video provides a spectacular glimpse into the musical talents involved with the film. Director Jon M. Chu talks about about the decision on whether to use live singing on set, or presumably record the singing in a studio.
“When we came into this movie, we weren’t sure how much we were going to do live [singing] or not. But they are the best singers in the world, so every scene, they have been singing live,” Chu says in the video. Both Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) speak about how there was no question in their minds about the decision to sing live, and it’s great to see both their passion and confidence in their abilities and this project.
“There’s something special about what happens when music is live in a room,” Erivo says in the video.
That “something special” is reflected by one incredible moment in the video when Erivo is seen belting a line from the iconic song “Defying Gravity” and there’s a great shot of the crew smiling in awe and admiration of her abilities.
“What we’ve managed to do is immerse the audience, because effectively, our movie set is also a recording studio. So that raw and real emotion that we are recording on set right now will be what you hear and experience in the theater,” Chu explains in the featurette.
Another particularly insightful moment is when Grande reveals how much emotion and effort they put into their performances, which we see in a shot of Erivo in tears with Grande.
“Whenever we would get to the end of an incredibly emotional day, Cynthia would refer to us as husks; having given everything we’ve got,” Grande says in the video about their emotional commitment to their roles.
This featurette is exactly the kind of video that passionate musical theater fans need to see. For all the caution and reservations that fans might have about adapting a live performance into film, these behind-the-scenes moments should give them some confidence.
Part one of Wicked premieres November 22nd, with part two coming November 25, 2025.
About Wicked:
After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.
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.
The film also stars Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Emmy nominee Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots); a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Tony nominee Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman) and four-time Emmy winner Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) as the voice of Dr. Dillamond.
Wicked is produced by Marc Platt (La La Land, The Little Mermaid), whose films, television shows and stage productions have earned a combined 46 Oscar® nominations, 58 Emmy nominations and 36 Tony nominations, and by multiple Tony winner David Stone (Kimberly Akimbo, Next to Normal), with whom Platt produced the blockbuster Wicked stage musical. The executive producers are David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz and Jared LeBoff.
Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is adapted for the screen by the stage production’s book writer Winnie Holzman and by legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The Broadway stage musical is produced by Universal Stage Productions, Marc Platt, the Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
