Billboard Women in Music 2025
Like a seed dropped by a skybird, “Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo and director Jon M. Chu returned (presumably by bubble) to Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners.
The Oscar-nominated duo, each donning all-black outfits, introduced the first-ever look at “Wicked: For Good,” which chronicles the second act of the long-running Broadway sensation. Grande and Erivo didn’t sing as their signature characters, the perky, pink-loving Glinda and green-skinned Elphaba, but audiences got to hear their takes on second act favorites, “For Good” and “No Good Deed.”
Set before, during and after the events of “The Wizard of Oz,” the musical recounts the origin story of Grande’s Glinda (later known as Glinda the Good) and Erivo’s Elphaba (eventually dubbed the Wicked Witch of the West) before Dorothy landed in Oz and sauntered down the Yellow Brick Road. In “Part One,” Glinda and Elphaba meet at Shiz University, where they are forced to be roommates and eventually become besties. “For Good” picks up after Elphaba is fully in control of her powers and has been declared an enemy of the state by the Wizard (Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Yeoh). “Wicked 2” flies into theaters on Nov. 22.
“It’s been quite a year since we joined you here last time, and we cannot thank you enough for all of your support,” Grande told the room of exhibitors. Erivo added, “And we get to do it all again.”
“This movie takes us past the point where the girl in the blue gingham dress from Kansas drops in,” Chu teases, referring to Dorthy Gale.
Movie theater owners in the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, where the trade show is held, were thrilled by the first-look at “Wicked: For Good.” After all, the first film generated $744 million globally to stand as the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in history. In addition to box office riches, the musical adaptation is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including best picture, actress for Erivo and supporting actress for Grande.
“Wicked” producer Marc Platt said the popularity of the movie adaptation has actually boosting interest in the stage show. “You should know, ‘Wicked,’ in its 22nd year on Broadway, is having its best year and highest grosses ever,” he said.
“It’s honestly been somewhat overwhelming to see ‘Wicked’ become such a global cultural phenomenon,” Universal’s president of domestic distribution Jim Orr told the room of cinema operators. “I’ve literally never had more people reach out with their emotional reactions to a film.”
