On Monday night, London was magically transformed into the land of Oz for the European debut of Jon M. Chu's highly-anticipated first part of "Wicked."
Due to the arrival of a newborn baby, the director missed the film's premiere in Los Angeles, but he made sure to attend the event at the Royal Festival Hall in London, accompanied by the actresses playing Glinda and Elphaba, who braved the heavy rain in the UK.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, both shielded by umbrellas and dressed in yellow chiffon and a form-fitting black gown, respectively, took over the spotlight on the green carpet from the likes of Jonathan Bailey, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, Bronwyn James, and Jeff Goldblum.
“The road to this point has been quite lengthy,” remarked Marc Platt, the producer of the groundbreaking Broadway production of Wicked in an interview wit The Hollywood Reporter. Platt explained that the idea initially was to adapt it into a film, but composer Stephen Schwartz suggested it be a musical first. Academy Award-winning composer Schwartz joined Platt on stage, expressing gratitude to Universal Pictures for their support throughout the years. Platt mentioned the prolonged film development was due to the search for the perfect director with boundless creativity, exceptional talent, and profound humanity.
Chu graciously acknowledged the enthusiastic applause in the 2,400-seat theater and expressed his delight at returning to London, where the film was produced.
“It feels fitting, as this is where we brought this project to life,” he remarked, before introducing his cast who joined him onstage. “This is where countless hands, minds, creativity, and visionary individuals collaborated to create the Emerald City and Munchkinland. It's truly heartwarming to be back here, on familiar ground.”
Wicked marks the first of Chu’s two film adaptations of the popular musical, with the second installment scheduled for Thanksgiving 2025. The production, originally inspired by Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel, delves into the untold tale of the witches of Oz.