New WICKED Photos Released; Director Used the Film as His HOOK Opportunity

Some new photos have been released for the film adaptation of Wicked offering fans a new look at the Jon M. Chu-directed film. The photos showcase the impressive cast of characters in the film along with some of the settings, and it looks just as vibrant as I expected it to be.

The images come from Vanity Fair, and Chu also opened up about the film sharing that this movie was Hook opportunity, referring to Steven Spielberg’s classic film. The filmmaker was set against using excessive CGI to bring this story to life, so he wanted it to feature real practical sets and effects. He said:

"I was like, 'I want to do it the way I dreamed about it as a kid when I watched Hook. Behind the scenes, Steven Spielberg was on a dock with a giant pirate ship. I’m like, 'If this is my one opportunity to do this, I want to do that.'"

Chu then went on to confirm that all of the singing in the film was done live while shooting the movie. He wanted that extra level of realism. He said:

"These are live vocals. When we were shooting it, those girls were like, 'F*ck the pre-records. We’re going live.' 'There’s going to be a lot of wind in your air pipes. Is that okay?'" he remembers asking. "'Yeah. That’s what we do' [they responded]."

The three-time Tony-award winning musical was adapted from a book by Gregory Maguire, and it’s a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It tells the story of how the green-skinned Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as the sorceress Glinda’s trajectory to becoming known as the Good Witch.

Cynthia Erivo is playing Elphaba, with Ariana Grande playing Glinda. The film also stars Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch and Crashing) as Fiyero, and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University. Oh yeah! Jeff Goldblum is playing The Wizard.

The two-part film was written by the stage show’s book writer Winne Holzman and composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz. When talking about the two-part film, Chu said: “We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one Wicked movie but two! With more space, we can tell the story of Wicked as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.”

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and 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 to those around her, will have unexpected and 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: Part 1 will make its debut exclusively in theaters on Friday, November 27th, 2024.