Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: film, Universal Pictures, wicked, Wicked Part One

Wicked Producer Explains Why the Film is a Two-Part Event

A producer of the upcoming cinematic adaptation of Wicked is explaining the team's choice to divide the film into a two-part event.

In just a few months, we'll be getting to witness the first of a two-part film titled Wicked, a highly-anticipated cinematic adaptation of the immensely popular musical of the same name, with important ties to the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and more importantly, the influential film adaptation of 1939 starring Judy Garland.

While the upcoming film has finally become a reality for longtime fans, the production itself experienced a rather lengthy pause after first being announced in 2012 before undergoing several behind-the-scenes changes, delays, and unforeseen hiccups. By late 2022, the film had (finally) managed to gain momentum and move forward, with eventual confirmation that the movie will also be divided into two parts (something that's not as prominent in current franchise films), suggesting that Wicked isn't planning to be shelved anytime soon. Now, one of the film's producers is sharing details about why they opted to change up the release strategy ahead of the first film's release.

During a recent conversation with Vanity Fair, Wicked producer Marc Platt explained the two-parted choice and how it actually allowed the creative team to delve into other aspects that might have been overlooked otherwise, telling the publication, "We didn't want to end up making one four-hour movie and then cutting out songs. We want to satisfy the fans of the musical." He continued, "Film allows you to create a place and a time—a university like Shiz, an extraordinary Emerald City governor's mansion. There's so much more to explore."

Wicked's Official Plot Summary and Release Date

The film's official synopsis: A vivid reimagining of the classic The Wizard of Oz, Wicked spotlights the untold stories of Oz's most famous (or infamous) characters, namely the Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friend, Glinda the Good Witch. The show follows green-skinned star Elphaba from birth to college and through the life-changing events which eventually label her "wicked," introducing spoiled rich girl Glinda, local prince and heartthrob Fiyero, and even the Wizard of Oz himself, a troubled man very unlike the one you may remember. As Elphaba, a passionate political activist if there ever was one, fights injustice and seeks to undo the mistakes of the past, dark secrets and personal tragedies shape the history of Oz, paying homage to the classic Wizard of Oz story while simultaneously changing fans' understanding of it forever. A cautionary tale about love, friendship, and trust, Wicked effortlessly reveals that there are indeed two sides to every story.

Do you think Wicked deserves an ambitious two-part release? The cinematic adaptation of Wicked touches down in theaters on November 27, 2024.

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