'Wicked' Moves Up Its November Release Date

Wicked is flying into theaters a small early! 

The highly anticipated movie adaptation of the Broadway sensation volition present get a week aboriginal connected Nov. 22, 5 days up of its archetypal Thanksgiving play merchandise day of Nov. 27. The determination pulls the movie from nonstop contention with Disney's Moana 2, which is inactive slated to merchandise connected Nov. 27.

Wicked -- which stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo arsenic its 2 main witches -- will present deed theaters connected the aforesaid time arsenic different large sequel, Gladiator II, which released first-look photos conscionable hours anterior to Universal Pictures' good news astir Wicked's earlier merchandise date.

On X (formerly Twitter), the film's director, Jon M. Chu, made the announcement to fans, sharing that The Wizard of Oz prequel -- which won 3 Tony Awards aft its premiere connected Broadway much than 2 decades agone -- would soon beryllium defying gravity in theaters. 

"5. DAYS. EARLIER!!!! Let’s goooo!! #WickedMovie #Nov22," Chu, 44, wrote successful a tweet Monday evening. 

The movie follows the communicative of Glinda the Good Witch (Grande) and Erivo arsenic Elphaba -- aka the Wicked Witch of the West -- and however they went from foes to improbable friends portion unneurotic connected the field of Shiz University  The adaptation besides stars Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero -- the emotion involvement who finds himself caught betwixt Elphaba and Glinda -- Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as headmistress Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The announcement comes aft ET spoke with the archetypal Elphaba connected Broadway, Idina Menzel, astatine the 2024 Tony Awards successful June, wherever she shared her enthusiasm astatine the task -- which has been successful improvement for astir 2 decades -- yet arriving successful theaters aboriginal this year. 

"So excited. I've conscionable been truthful arrogant of it, and it's gonna scope a full different audience," Menzel said.

Later successful the night, Menzel and her successor took to the signifier together aft Universal Pictures released different new trailer for Wicked. Much like the trailer featured abbreviated and saccharine snippets of songs "Popular" and "Defying Gravity," the enactment betwixt Menzel and Erivo anterior to announcing the victor of Best Musical was conscionable arsenic breathtaking for fans of the musical. 

"I'm conscionable gonna spell disconnected publication existent speedy to accidental however excited I americium to spot what I cognize is going to beryllium an astonishing show successful that movie that you're doing," Menzel said arsenic Erivo replied, "I emotion you."

"And I conscionable wanna accidental Green Girl power!" Menzel added. 

Wicked: Part One releases connected Nov. 22, 2024 portion Wicked: Part Two is expected connected Nov. 26, 2025.

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