'Wicked' movie will hit theaters earlier than expected
The wait has just gotten shorter for the first "Wicked" movie, which stars Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the eventual Wicked Witch of the West.
The premiere date for part one of the big-screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical has been moved to Nov. 27, 2024, meaning it will fly into theaters a whole month earlier than originally expected.
Director Jon M. Chu shared more about the move in a note on Twitter.
"We are deep into production on WICKED and everyday we get more and more excited to share with u the mischief we've been up to," Chu tweeted.
He continued, "So…We've decided to get it to you all a little earlier than planned. OUR NEW RELEASE Date is NOV 27th 2024! A little Thanksgiving treat!"
The original release date for the first "Wicked" movie was set for December 2024. The second installment is still slated for a Christmas 2025 release.
Along with Erivo and Grande, the movies will also star Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero.
The movies are based on the 2003 Wicked Broadway musical, which originally starred Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively. The musical was based on the 1995 novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire.
The decision to split the theatrical adaptation into two parts could mean more elements from the book will be included in the movies.
