Friendship Featurette for ‘Wicked’ with Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
by Alex Billington
August 21, 2024
Source: YouTube
“We have to learn about each other to get to know each other.” Universal has revealed yet another behind-the-scenes featurette for the Wicked movie – in theaters in November three months from now. This video is called “The Powerful Bond of Friendship” focus on the friendship between the two lead characters and the wonderful actors who play them: Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, with green skin, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, who is obsessed with everything pink. If you follow celebrity news and have seen photos of these two together, it’s all part of the marketing (their friendship is real of course), their beautiful partnership is now something to promote. After two decades as one of the most beloved & enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a fabulous, generation-defining cinematic event. Directed by filmmaker Jon M. Chu (of Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. It also stars Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, plus Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz. These are such delightful behind-the-scenes glimpses, showing how everyone put so much joy and love into making these two movies. From the looks of it, this is going to be a magnificent big screen experience.
Here’s the “Powerful Bond of Friendship” featurette for Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movie, from YouTube:
You can rewatch the teaser trailer for Wicked movie right here, or the “passion” featurette / official trailer.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy, Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and those around her, will have unexpected & shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good… and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wicked is directed by American filmmaker Jon M. Chu, director of the films Step Up 2: The Streets, The LXD, Step Up 3D, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Jem and the Holograms, Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians, and In the Heights previously. The screenplay is written by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz. It’s adapted from Holzman and Schwartz’s stage musical Wicked, which is based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, inspired by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Produced by Marc Platt and David Stone (of the Broadway musical). Universal Pictures will debut Chu’s Wicked in theaters starting November 22nd, 2024 during Thanksgiving later this year. Wicked Part Two is then scheduled to arrive in theaters November 26th, 2025 the next year. Looks good? Will you watch?