Wicked: Part Two gets a promising update from songwriter Stephen Schwartz. The story, based on Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s Broadway musical, reveals how Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) became known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and portrays her time at Shiz University alongside Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande). Along with Erivo and Grande, the cast of Wicked includes Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh. Back in July, director Jon M. Chu mentioned that production was affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike, but the release of each installment remains the same. Wicked: Part One is set to hit theaters on November 27, 2024, while Part Two will release a year later on November 26, 2025.
In a recent interview with Collider, Schwartz gave an update on Wicked and revealed that filming for the upcoming adaptation is nearly complete. Schwartz, who serves as co-writer, also explained the two-part release, and that Chu had already begun editing. Read Schwartz’s comments regarding Wicked below:
Most of it has been shot. We ultimately decided to do two movies because we couldn’t get it all crammed into one movie without, we felt, really compromising the story. We thought no one wanted to sit for four hours and see one movie [laughs], so it got divided into two movies. But yeah, most of it has been shot. The actors’ strike, of course, meant that they couldn’t quite finish. Now that that’s settled, they’ll finish the principal photography for that. But our director, Jon Chu, has been editing for months.
What To Expect From Wicked’s Two-Part Release
Last year, Chu announced that Wicked would be separated into multiple films, allowing character development, and preventing the exclusion of certain songs. The original stage production, one of the longest-running shows on Broadway, has been praised for its music, with “Defying Gravity” and “No Good Deed” being standouts. Schwartz previously discussed the former, which comes right before an intermission, and revealed that it was challenging to try and continue the movie after that. Wicked: Part One will likely track the early stages of Elphaba’s relationship with Galinda, while Part Two focuses on her being the Wicked Witch of the West.
Though the release of Wicked is almost a year away, the cast and crew have shared a lot of behind-the-scenes content from filming. Set photos have provided a glimpse of several characters, including Bailey and Yeoh, who portray Fiyero Tigelaar and Madame Morrible, respectively. Erivo has also taken to social media, sharing her enthusiasm and gratitude over bringing Elphaba’s story to life, and on the big screen. Erivo previewed the script for the second installment as well.
Schwartz’s latest comments about filming suggest that Wicked: Part Two is close to being done, which is an exciting update for beloved musical’s adaptation. Given the anticipation surrounding Wicked, and that the SAG-AFTRA strike is over now, it will be interesting to see when more details come out.
