Wicked Part 1: Universal debuted dazzling first looks of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda at CinemaCon

Wicked Part 1, which is currently in production in London, debuted its first ever look for lead stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in their respective roles at the CinemaCon 2023. “We thought we’d give you a little taste of it,” Universal Pictures boss said of the film.

As Variety shares, the never-before-seen clip begins as Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible works with the green-skinned Elphaba to help her control her gift. “Once you learn to harness your emotions, the sky is the limit,” Morrible tells her student.

Further describing the featurette, the outlet shares that the teaser gives a sense of the sweeping, brightly lit set and includes scenes of Elphaba roaming the halls of Shiz University before meeting Glinda, her new roommate with that iconic pointy black hat. Next, Jeff Goldblum enters as the Wizard of Oz, the blonde-haired Glinda transports by bubble and Elphaba sports her signature broomstick.

The new film delves into the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch, exploring how their once-close friendship turned into a bitter rivalry. “Pink goes good with green,” Glinda tells Elphaba as she puts a flower behind her ear.

“Look at you, you’re beautiful.” Elphaba tells her, “You really don’t have to do that,” to which Glinda famously responds, “I know. That’s what makes me so nice.” The Broadway adaptation is divided into two parts, each releasing on November 27 and December 25, 2025, respectively.

Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. The movie musical also stars Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible and Ethan Slater as Boq. Originally based on Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked has been one of the most popular musicals in the U.S. since premiering on Broadway in 2003.

Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics to the Broadway show, is adapting the screenplay with Winnie Holzman. The first Wicked arrives in theaters on November 27, 2024 with a sequel set for December 25, 2025 release.

Also Read: Michelle Yeoh to star in Jon M. Chu’s two-part Wicked movies as Madame Morrible