It was less than two weeks ago that Universal released the first looks at Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked. At CinemaCon 2023, head honcho Donna Langley made it clear the movie is still currently in production, and it didn’t seem likely we would get more from the upcoming Wizard of Oz prequel today. However, the people in the panel were, as Langley put it, “the first people” to see a special look at one of the studios’ most hotly-anticipated upcoming movie releases.
The first look footage kicks off with looks at the Wicked cast, including Cynthia Erivo’s terrific green-makeup look as Elphaba. She’s learning to "harness" her emotions and work her magic under the tutelage of Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible and they share a quick scene that makes me want to see more. Soon after, Elphaba encounters Glinda, who tries to get her to wear pink. Elphaba, of course, mentions pointedly that Glinda doesn’t need to go to the trouble, but Glinda notes in response, “I know, that's what makes me so nice.”
Additional shots of the set were shown that give us a good glimpse of what Oz will look like–and it’s epic in scope. Jon M. Chu also popped up to explain his vision for Oz, which included mentioning the production literally planted 9 million tulips to get the practical effect right. We see a shot of the giant multi-colored field of tulips and it is stunning. Chu explained "you gotta build it" to really put people into the "immersive" world.
Chu also unabashedly explained at CinemaCon 2023 why he was so excited to tackle Wicked as a project. (Excited enough, in fact, that Crazy Rich Asians 2 was announced but then has seemingly been on pause while this franchise took off. Though that sequel has reportedly had other problems.)
I knew what this movie could be. What does it feel like to be in Oz, to be in the dirt and feel it within your fingertips? The most wondrous places on the biggest screen, that's exciting. You can't do it on the stage.
Ultimately, this wasn't a clip or a trailer, but a collection of brightly-colored and sometimes emotional moments from behind the scenes while the movie is still in production. From a musical standpoint, we were able to hear a bit of "Defying Gravity," and Jon M. Chu noted about performances like this from the film's powerhouse leads, including Grande and Erivo: "they just blew the roof off. "
Wicked: Part 1 is coming to theaters just in time for Thanksgiving 2024, while Part 2 will follow at Christmas in 2025.
