Wicked musical film will feature two new songs
The upcoming Wicked movie will feature two new songs, composer Stephen Schwartz has revealed.
The long-awaited big screen adaptation of the hit stage musical will be released in two parts in November 2024 and 2025.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande take up the lead roles of Elphaba and Glinda respectively.
Composer Stephen Schwartz has revealed the second half of the two-parter is set to feature new music in addition to the songs from the stage show.
He shared: “There are some expansions of stuff in the first movie. The point being, the new songs were written because of the demand of the story, not, ‘Oh, let’s write a new song and stick it in just because…’
“The storytelling required it, and therefore they were created — the intention was that they were organic and not imposed on the movie.”
“It’s been very important to us to make sure that it is the show, that it is the story that the fans love and that they’re coming to expect and not disappoint them.”
In an interview with The Messenger, Schwartz also explained the decision to split the film into two separate movies.
He said: “As we talked about the story we wanted to tell, it was impossible really to get into one movie unless the movie were four hours long. And so the decision was made to make two movies.
“And consequently, there’s new stuff that I think the fans will enjoy. But our hope and intention is that the people to whom the story and the show are important will not in any way be disappointed, but will be thrilled by what they will see and the new stuff that’s been added and the way film is used.”
The upcoming Wicked movie will be directed by Jon M Chu, who brought In The Heights to the screen.
Jeff Goldblum joins Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the cast of the upcoming Wicked movie, taking on the role of the Wizard Of Oz. Other notable cast members include Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible.
The film is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked, which offers a reimagined backstory to the Wizard Of Oz, revealing events and characters’ histories before Dorothy’s arrival.
Since its Broadway debut in 2003 and its subsequent West End opening in 2006, the musical Wicked has consistently captivated audiences, consistently playing to full houses. A new UK tour recently opened in Edinburgh.
