After months of intense anticipation (and one of the most memed press tours in recent memory), Jon M. Chu’s blockbuster adaptation of the iconic Broadway show finally premiered in cinemas worldwide last month. With record-breaking box office numbers and rave reviews for stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, as well as the grandeur of the production and that epic ‘Defying Gravity’ finale, it’s safe to say that Chu’s prequel to The Wizard of Oz has garnered significant popularity, even before Part Two graces multiplexes next November.
Director Chu reflecting on the universal (and presumably Universal) acclaim his film has received.
“It’s been overwhelming,” says Chu. “As a filmmaker, your focus is solely on creating the project, so witnessing the reactions—social media buzzing, people embracing the dances, dressing up, and standing ovations after ‘Defying Gravity’—is incredibly satisfying. Wicked has become a cultural phenomenon.”
Having successfully created a cultural moment once, it’s reasonable to expect that nerves might be setting in for Chu as anticipation builds for Part Two, especially as he aims to replicate that success. However, the director—who ominously hints at what’s to come after the first film’s year-long gap as a story “about the consequences of the choices made in Part One”—feels quite confident about what he has in store for fans when Elphie and Galinda return to our screens. “I’ve watched both movies side by side, and all I’ll say is: we have the goods,” teases Chu. “Round two is a doozy.” It all sounds pretty wicked to us.
Wicked: Part Two is set to release in UK cinemas on November 21, 2025.
