WICKED Movie to Be Released in Theaters Early

Universal has announced that Wicked, the highly anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway musical, will now be released in theaters on November 22, 2024. This is 5 days earlier than the previous release date of November 27.

The reason for this change has not been confirmed, though it is possible that it has been changed to avoid opening on the same day as Disney's Moana 2, which is set for a November 27 release date.

The Wicked film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Joining them is Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard.

Marissa Bode will portray Nessarose, Elphaba's younger sister. The cast of characters also includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Emmy nominee Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots), and a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Tony nominee Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman). Aaron Teoh joins as Avaric with Michael Carmichael as Nikidik. In April, it was announced that Emmy-Winner Peter Dinklage will be playing Dr. Dillamond in the film.

It has also been announced that a behind-the-scenes special about the film, hosted by Grande and Erivo, will be airing on NBC this November.

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. 

The second part of the film, which is set to include two new songs, is scheduled for a November 26, 2025 release.