NBC Unveils WICKED Movie Behind-the-Scenes Special Airing in November

In celebration of Universal Pictures’ new cinematic event, based on the generation-defining Broadway musical, international superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead an all-star cast in a spectacular journey through Oz for their new film, Wicked.

“Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked” will air Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10 p.m. on NBC, three days prior to the film’s worldwide release. Peacock will stream the special on Nov. 20. Wicked arrives in theaters November 22.

Filmed on the movie’s stunning Emerald City set, stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode will share personal memories, intimate video diaries and revealing secrets about their personal journeys through the making of the Universal Pictures film.  

“Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked” will also debut the world premiere of a “thrillifying” scene from the motion picture that audiences can only see in this behind-the-scenes special. 

With exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the cast, unique details and stories from their time on set together, and never-before-seen footage, “Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked” will give fans unprecedented access to the must-see film of this holiday season.  

In addition, throughout the special on NBC and Peacock, fans will be delighted with Wicked-inspired content during commercial time thanks to brand sponsors Lexus and Target.

“Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked” is produced by Monkey, which is part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. It is executive produced by Rob Bagshaw and Andy Charles Smith for Monkey. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution is handling international sales. 

About WICKED

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. Emmy-Winner Peter Dinklage is set to play Dr. Dillamond in the film.

Part One of the film will be released on November 22, 2024, with the second part hitting theaters on November 21, 2025. Pre-save the official soundtrack here. Also, be sure to check out BroadwayWorld's comprehensive guide to the Wicked movie!

Photo Credit: Giles Keyte/NBC