New WICKED Prequel Book About Galinda Being Written With the Possibility of Future Film
This is a big week for fans of the Wicked book, stage musical, and films. After the release of the second Wicked film, For Good, which has had giant box office numbers despite mixed reviews, Gregory Maguire, author of the original Wicked novel on which the stage musical and films are based, has announced a new Wicked prequel novel, centering on the early life of Galinda Upland.
Titled Galinda: A Charmed Childhood, the novel is a sister story to his prequel novel Elphie, which was published earlier this year. Galinda is set to be published by Harper Collins September 29, 2026.
Galinda explores the origins of the effervescently popular character, the youngest of four children in a high-born family down on their luck. Galinda is both pampered and ignored until her natural grace promises to elevate her in the district dance competitions.
As her father pivots around the growing resentments of local merchants who disapprove of his business strategies, Galinda dances toward a life that might lift her above her proud, if hardscrabble, childhood.
The novel will be published as a deluxe limited edition hardcover featuring stenciled edges, designed endpapers, and more. Clocking in at 256 pages, the book will be available wherever books are sold, with discounted preorders via the Harper Collins website.
This will be Maguire's ninth novel set in the Oz universe, narratively preceding his initial four-book series, as well as the sequel trilogy Maracoor, which centers on the life and times of Elphaba's granddaughter, Rain.
The hit Broadway production of Maguire's Wicked continues to play to sell-out crowds at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre.
It is unknown whether these other books will spawn musicals on the stage or screen, but time will tell with the success of the novels. The two-part movie adaptation of the Wicked musical is out now.
via: Playbill