Both Super Bowl opponents may wear red, but all we can see is green.
On Sunday, during the 2024 Super Bowl broadcast, Universal dropped the first trailer for Wicked, the highly anticipated adaptation of the Broadway musical. Part One is scheduled to hit theaters this Nov. 27, with Part Two scheduled for a late 2025 release date.
Wicked, based on the 2003 Broadway musical which was itself inspired by Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name, tells the backstory of the witches of Oz. It follows green-skinned Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the future Wicked Witch of the West; and Glinda (Ariana Grande), the future Good Witch of the North, from their days as unlikely school chums through to their complicated adulthood as they contend with political strife and a love triangle with school hunk Fiyero (Bridgerton and Fellow Travelers star Jonathan Bailey). Wicked examines the power of magic and friendship to transform our lives.
Universal Pictures/ Youtube
The footage not only provides the first official looks at the star-studded ensemble, it includes a goosebump-inducing first listen at Erivo performing the show-stopping number “Defying Gravity.” The star’s powerful belt booms as her Elphaba makes a death-defying leap out a high-tower window, only to soar into the sky on her broomstick.
This teaser marks the first the public has seen. Last spring, Universal debuted the very first glimpse of Wicked, screening roughly edited footage to a crowd of exhibitors and press at CinemaCon.
That preview contained glimpses at most of the major players and opened with a bigger look at Michelle Yeoh’s white-haired Madame Morrible. She tells Elphaba, “Try again, eyes shut, and picture it,” as she tries to teach Elphaba how to harness her powers.
Wicked Movie/Instagram (2)
Attendees also heard clips of vocals from Erivo and Grande, and director Jon M. Chu teased the magic of the Emerald City, noting that no CGI or blue screen would be used. “It’s a fully immersive experience,” he said. “Emerald City is a world that can only be realized on film.”
Production on the movies only wrapped in January, following a lengthy delay in 2023 due to the impact of two Hollywood strikes. The three leads commemorated the moment with social media posts featuring shadowy glimpses of their characters.
Now this teaser grants us an even closer look, and we’re so happy we could melt.
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