“Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”
So asks Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) in the latest trailer for the long-awaited film adaptation of Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu (In the Heights). Grande’s pink-loving, privileged Glinda is one half of the witchy duo at the heart of the beloved musical, the other being the green-skinned, magically gifted Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo, Harriet). When these two polar opposites are thrown together as roommates at Shiz University, they’ll embark on an epic journey from loathing to friendship — and sing some iconic songs along the way.
A few of these songs are teased in the new trailer, including Erivo’s powerful rendition of show-stopper “Defying Gravity” and Grande’s peppy, high-kicking take on “Popular.” (Somehow, she ends up twirling around on a light fixture.) We also get a look at well-known characters from the musical including Shiz headmistress Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeo, Everything Everywhere All At Once), talking goat teacher Doctor Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones), prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey, Bridgerton), and the Wizard himself (Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park).
While some of these characters look to support Elphaba and nurture her power, it seems like others only want to use her for their own gains. Will this extraordinary young witch be able to embrace what makes her different and come into her own? Or will she have wickedness thrust upon her by an uncaring world? Don’t expect to get all the answers in one film: Wicked will be a two-parter, with Part Two set for release in 2025.
