Wicked: Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo Confirmed To Star In The Adaptation Of The Musical
The screen adaptation of the famous Broadway theatrical musical Wicked has been given its main cast members – Cynthia Erivo will play Elphaba, and Ariana Grande will play Glinda, confirmed by Deadline.
Back in 2016, Universal announced a film adaptation of the famous musical that told L. Frank Baume’s famous fairy tale, The Wizard of Oz, but this time from the perspective of two witches from the magical land of Oz – Glinda, the Good Witch, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wicked was first shown in May 2003 in San Francisco and had its Broadway premiere on Halloween the same year, and in the 18 years of its existence, it grossed a total of $1.3 billion. In the original lineup on Broadway, the lead roles were played by Idina Menzel (voice of Elsa from Frozen) as the Wicked Witch of the West and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda.
Production is set to begin next summer. Erivo and Grande also confirmed the casting on their Instagram accounts:
Wicked synopsis:
WICKED begins with the death of the WICKED Witch of the West. Through flashback, we learn from Glinda that the two witches, Glinda and the WICKED Witch of the West, whose real name is Elphaba, are old University friends who disliked each other intensely when they first met.
Elphaba is never afraid to stand up for what she believes to be right and demonstrates strong values. On a visit to Oz, she and Glinda discover that the Wizard is corrupt. Despite this revelation, Glinda is tempted by the Wizard’s invitation to join his administration, but Elphaba refuses and vows to fight the Wizard’s injustice.
Concerned that Elphaba might use her natural talent for sorcery against him, the Wizard uses propaganda to turn the people of Oz against her, denouncing her as the ‘WICKED Witch of the West’. A hunt begins and Elphaba is forced into hiding.
Glinda is left battling with her conscience, realising that Elphaba has had the strength to stand by what is right. When the people of Oz hear that a ‘female child’ has killed the WICKED Witch, Glinda announces that all is now well but secretly she mourns her lost friend and vows to do ‘good’.
Source: wickedthemusical.com.au