LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) – The worldwide premiere tour for Wicked reached London on Monday for its final stop before the musical film’s release. Director Jon M. Chu expressed his hope that the spectacle would move audiences.
Organizers named the London leg of the tour “Emerald City” and designed it with a green carpet surrounded by decorations inspired by the Land of Oz’s capital city. The tour previously stopped in Sydney, Los Angeles, Mexico City, and New York.
Under a persistent drizzle, lead actors Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, along with co-stars Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Ethan Slater, greeted screaming fans.
Director Jon M. Chu soaked in the atmosphere, thrilled to attend after missing the Los Angeles premiere due to the birth of his fifth child.
“It’s a lot of emotions. We’ve worked many years on this movie. I worked just a little bit on the baby,” Chu said in an interview. “To have them come out at the same time has to be a sign from somewhere that this movie is blessed.”
Stephen Schwartz’s musical Wicked, adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 book, inspired the film. The story follows Elphaba (Erivo), a green-skinned young woman who transforms into the Wicked Witch of the West from the classic children’s novel The Wizard of Oz.
Pop star Ariana Grande portrays Glinda, the privileged and popular student who becomes Elphaba’s friend at university.
“This is The Wizard of Oz, this is Oz. It’s iconic in cinematic history. We didn’t want to disappoint,” said director Jon M. Chu.
“We designed this film to immerse people in the Land of Oz, to let them touch and feel it in ways they never have before,” said director Jon M. Chu. “We aimed for a spectacle on the scale of Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia. But at the same time, the intimacy of these two women and their relationship is crucial. We cried almost every day on set, and I hope audiences feel that emotion when they watch the movie.”
Chu revealed that the second installment of the two-part film series, slated for release in November 2025, is already in post-production. “We’ve shot part two, and I’m cutting it right now. It’s a doozy. It’s very exciting. If you like part one, get ready for a whole new ride!” he promised.
Wicked begins its global cinematic rollout on Nov. 20.
