There’s a long way to go before a collection of fans – musical theater lovers, Ariana Grande stans, plain old movie-goers – get to see the magic of the Broadway masterpiece Wicked on the silver screen. The first half of the movie adaptation of the long-running Broadway show is slated for a 2024 release. Yes, first half. According to Variety, Wicked has recently been split into two parts, the first premiering in December 2024 and the second in 2025. Given that the stage production is two and half hours with one intermission, it’s clear that director John M. Chu plans to bring far more depth to the story and its characters.
In November 2021, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were cast as Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, respectively. Production is set to begin summer 2022 in the United Kingdom and, as of this writing, no further cast members have been revealed. Fans have taken to the Internet to discuss who they would love to see as Fiyero, Boq, Madame Morrible, and others, and in addition to the fancasts, there seems to be a universal agreement that Wicked watchers would like to see anyone but James Corden. Until Wicked finds the remainder of its cast, here’s everything to know about the two leads.
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Ariana Grande — Glinda the Good Witch
Netflix
When the people of Oz celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch, Glinda angelically floats down in a bubble, her celestial appearance alone solidifying that she is good-hearted. Taking on the role of Glinda is the Grammy Award-winning pop sensation Ariana Grande. Glinda, who’s originally called Galinda, was first played by Broadway veteran Kristen Chenoweth, who’d worked with Grande on The Voice as well as Hairspray Live! Glinda’s character is seen as a perky, lovable blonde whose personality initially clashes with her roommate Elphaba before the two become best friends.
In 2012, Grande and British singer-songwriter Mika released a remix of the Wicked favorite, “Popular.” The song sampled bits of the original tune, but for the most part had the two gifted singers put their own spin on it. Here we are, a decade later, and who could’ve guessed that Grande would sing the Glinda solo in its original format — perhaps with a few changes to fit the adaptation.
Grande may be prominent in the pop music world, but she is no stranger to musical theater. She originated the role of Charlotte in the 2008 Broadway musical, 13 (which is also getting a movie adaptation on Netflix in 2022) and played Snow White in A Snow White Christmas at Pasadena Playhouse. But she truly rose to theatrical fame when she played Cat Valentine, the ditzy, cheerful character on the Nickelodeon sitcoms, Victorious and Sam & Cat. Since her music career took off, Grande has taken less acting roles with more of a focus on her songs, but her most recent venture into film was the 2021 star-studded movie Don’t Look Up in which she essentially portrayed a fictionalized version of herself: a famous popstar called Riley Bina. Grande’s career thus far has been met with endless success. As the most-followed woman on Instagram – with over 300 million followers – and one of the best-selling musical artists in the world, it’s nearly impossible to have never heard her name, providing you live above a rock.
Cynthia Erivo — Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West
Perfect World Pictures
Cynthia Erivo will be playing Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, a role that was originated by Frozen’s Idina Menzel, who won a Tony for her performance. As the newest student at the University of Shiz, Elphaba is initially shunned for being different, what with her green skin and all, but soon she manages to find friendship and even love. Erivo is a seasoned musical theater Thespian, having played Celie in the 2013 West End production and 2015 Broadway revival of The Color Purple, which earned her a Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, as well as a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. As an English actress, most of her work occurred in West End productions, including Sister Act, Dessa Rose and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
Outside the stage, Erivo has also acted on-screen, with her first role on the 2015 series Chewing Gum. She received an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic Harriet. Most recently, she can be seen in the Apple TV anthology series, Roar. She is set to star in Disney’s upcoming live action Pinocchio as The Blue Fairy.
Given that Wicked will be split into two parts, it’s possible the first movie will end on the same high note that the first act of the musical does – with Elphaba’s showstopping number “Defying Gravity.” And if that’s the case, we can safely assume the last words of the film will be an Erivo rendition of the recognizable, “Ohohahohh.”
Both Erivo and Grande, have big shoes to fill as these characters have been recognized and loved for nearly 20 years and have only been played by incredibly talented Broadway performers who have skillfully set the bar so high. Considering the pair’s auditions reportedly moved the director to tears, it’s clear they have a lot to bring to the table. Both ladies have exhibited stellar acting abilities in the past years and if you’ve heard them belt even a note, you know undoubtedly they will both excel in the singing department.
