A release date has been confirmed for the highly anticipated Wicked concert special.
Back in May, director Jon M Chu announced that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo would be leading a TV special celebrating the beloved musical at NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation.
“I am absolutely delighted to let you in on a centrepiece of our campaign for the second film, it’s something that’s never been done in the 22-year history of Wicked,” he said.
“This fall, our stars Cynthia Erivo and incandescent Ariana Grande, will be joined by their castmates and some wonderful surprise guests in a one time only event from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, they will perform live many of the songs from the first movie – and maybe a little bit from the second one as well, for a night of entertainment that we think will be, as they say in Oz, thrillifying.”
Since that fateful day, fans have been eager to find out when the special would officially air.
Fortunately, on 9 July, it was announced that the upcoming two-hour event will premiere on NBC on 6 November at 8:00 pm ET. It will then be made available to stream on Peacock the following day.
While additional information has been kept under wraps, the press release teased that fans can “maybe, just maybe,” expect a little bit of material from Wicked: For Good, which is set to hit cinemas two weeks later on 21 November.
Based on Act Two of the beloved stage musical, the highly anticipated sequel will follow Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) as they navigate the dramatic consequences of the first film.
Elphaba is determined to expose the Wizard’s lies and free the animals of Oz with the help of the Grimmerie. However, due to her rebellion, she is a social pariah and is dubbed ‘The Wicked Witch of the West.’
At the same time, Glinda has become the “glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz,” which has led her to live in the Emerald City palace and serve as the spokesperson and defender of the Wizard’s reign.
The official synopsis adds: “As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba.
“She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.
“As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.”
Wicked: For Good is also set to feature original content, including new Elphaba and Glinda solos.
“I don’t know if you’re ready for it. I mean, I love the song, and I remember when we filmed it, the cast and crew were crying,” Erivo teased on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast in December. “So I don’t know. And I don’t know if that’s just because they were emotional that day or that’s what the song does.”
Grande echoed similar sentiments in a separate interview with the aforementioned podcast.
“It’s a pivotal moment in Glinda’s journey. It shows a side of her we’ve never seen before. In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage,” she explained. “But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It’s a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.”
Check out the first trailer for Wicked: For Good below. For more information about the sequel, click here.
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