Wickedis getting a double order!
On Tuesday, director Jon M. Chu revealed that hisupcoming big-screen adaptation ofWicked, starringAriana Grandeand Cynthia Erivo, will now be told across two films that bring “even more depth and surprise” to the famous Broadway musical’s story.
“Here’s what happened,” Chuwrote in a lettershared on social media. “As we prepared this production over the last year, it became increasingly clear that it would be impossible to wrestle the story of Wicked into a single film without doing some real damage to it. As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years.”
“So we decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one Wicked movie but TWO!!!!” he continued. “With more space, we can tell the story of Wicked as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys of these beloved characters.”
Chu, 42, added that the first film will debut in December 2024, with the second part releasing a year later for the next holiday season.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Cynthia, Ariana, and I — and all of the cast and crew — pledge to create nothing less than an experience that honors its foundation for all the fans who’ve waited for this movie, and to offer a thrilling, fantastical world full of dynamic characters that invites in those who are unfamiliar,” wrote Chu, who previously directedCrazy Rich AsiansandIn the Heights.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty; Universal Stage Production; Rich Fury/Getty Images
In November 2021, Erivo, 35, and Grande, 28, werecast as the leads, Elphaba and Glinda, respectively.Idina MenzelandKristin Chenowethoriginated the roles on Broadway.
On the 2022SAG Awardsred carpet earlier this year, Erivo revealed that the movie adaptation ofWickedwill be slightly different from the original. “I think it’s going to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before,“she toldEntertainment Tonight. “I think we’re going to enjoy the magic of it. We’re going to try and put our own spin on what we know already and show you a story about two women [who] are sisters.”
source: people.com
