What makes things so Wicked? New featurette pulls back the curtain …

(courtesy IMP Awards)

SNAPSHOT
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy, Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo 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 those around her, will have unexpected & 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.

Wicked is directed by American filmmaker Jon M. Chu, director of the films Step Up 2: The Streets, The LXD, Step Up 3D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jem and the Holograms, Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians, and In the Heights previously. The screenplay is written by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz. It’s adapted from Holzman and Schwartz’s stage musical Wicked, which is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Produced by Marc Platt and David Stone (of the Broadway musical). (courtesy First Showing)

An immersive cinematic experience is quite possibly one of the best things going in entertainment.

There’s something quite magical and escapist about feeling like you’re not just watching the film but experiencing it too, almost living it and from this new featurette for the movie adaptation of Wicked – part one anyway; part two lands November 2025 – we get the distinct feeling we have travelled to the wonderful land of Oz.

There’s seems to be a welcome shift back to using physical sets in conjunction with CGI and the effect feels so much more tangible than special effects alone.

Wicked is already an extraordinarily full-on and emotionally immersive musical experience but now it looks like it will be a visual one too and honestly, the kid in me simply cannot wait.

Wicked arrives in cinemas 22 November U.S. and 28 November Australia.

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