The announcement that the beloved Broadway musical would be adapted into a film excited fans, who had waited over a decade to see the story of the Wicked Witch of the West brought to life on the big screen. However, the film, split into two parts, might not have happened if director hadn’t decided to divide the original script. At the BFI London Film Festival, Chu explained that the original script was…
The script I received felt unfinished and thrown together – over 200 pages long, but it didn’t read like a cohesive story or a genuine movie script.
The possibility of adapting Wicked into two movies had been discussed for a long time, but it remained just an idea until actual plans to bring the story to the big screen began. Even when conversations turned to concluding the first film after the powerful song “Defying Gravity,” director Chu wasn’t sure if the idea would succeed.
I wondered how we could make this work. It’s unlikely both movies would be amazing, so the biggest challenge was figuring out how to make ‘Defying Gravity’ the emotional heart of the story and still feel earned. The conflict isn’t about wizards, like in the first movie. Glinda shouldn’t be the one making the final, important choice; it needs to be Elphaba’s story, so we decided to explore her past and show her upbringing.
Chu understood that to attract audiences beyond existing Wicked fans, they needed to delve deeper into Elphaba’s history and expand the story. He determined:
We needed to develop those elements within the film itself. If we hadn’t, we’d only appeal to existing fans of the Wicked stage show, and we wanted to reach a much broader audience.
‘Wicked: For Good’ Is One of 2025’s Most Anticipated Movies
Universal Pictures
You’d think adapting a Broadway musical for the big screen would be straightforward. The story is already developed, the plot is set, and the length – typically around two and a half hours – fits a movie runtime well. However, many musical adaptations have flopped, even well-known shows like Cats.
The Wicked movie, while nearly as long as the stage production, only covered half of the original story, and that’s what resonated with viewers. Stage musicals prioritize the music; the plot often takes a backseat, as the songs themselves can usually convey the story. However, films require more substance. Weaknesses in the plot become more apparent on screen, and missing details can make it hard for audiences to connect with the story. Wicked succeeded by significantly fleshing out the details and scenes between the musical numbers.
The highly anticipated sequel is arriving with fresh music and a more developed story. It remains to be seen if it will be as successful as the original, but millions are expected to see it in theaters this November. Wicked: For Good premieres on November 21st and has already set a new record for the most tickets sold in a single day for any movie in 2025.
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2025-10-21 16:17