Wicked the Movie: A Theatrical Legacy Brought to the Big Screen

After nearly ten years of development, the movie adaptation of the West End and Broadway staple, Wicked , is on its way to the big screen next month. Studded with a cast full of West End and Broadway stars, Wicked promises to deliver not only a Hollywood blockbuster but, more importantly, a gratifying tribute to the longstanding fans of the musical who made it the hit it is today—at least that’s what we’re hoping for anyway!

Cynthia Erivo in The Color Purple, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre New York, 2015. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

At the centre of it all are Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jonathan Bailey—three powerhouses with performing careers rooted in theatre. Erivo and Bailey, playing Elphaba and Fiyero, respectively, both have extensive careers in London theatre. Erivo’s credits speak for themselves—from leading the UK tour of Sister Act to starring in both London and Broadway productions of The Color Purple—her talent is aptly reflected by her accolades, including a Daytime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, and a Tony Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and many more. Though acclaimed for her extraordinary vocal ability, critics have widely praised Erivo for the profound vulnerability she can inject into her characters—this is essential for Elphaba, one of musical theatre’s most complex characters.

Earlier this year, it was announced that Jonathan Bailey is set to play the eponymous role in Shakespeare’s history classic Richard II at the Bridge Theatre. Despite his breakout role being in Netflix’s record-breaking Bridgerton, Bailey has major theatre credits to his name, including an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his portrayal of Jamie in the 2018 gender-flipped West End revival of Company. Other notable credits include King Lear opposite Ian McKellen, Les Misérables (West End), and The Last Five Years (The Other Palace) alongside Samantha Barks.

Jonathan Bailey in Company at the Gielgud Theatre, 2018. Photo by Birgot Ralf Brinkhoff.

Being a pop sensation who many recognise from her days as a children’s television star, people often overlook that Ariana Grande’s roots are deeply embedded in the world of musical theatre. Grande kickstarted her career on Broadway at just 15 in the musical 13, a coming-of-age story about teens navigating the world of high school. In addition, she starred as Penny in the 2016 production of Hairspray Live! alongside Kristen Chenoweth and Jennifer Hudson. Named as one of the Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone, Grande’s portrayal of the iconic Glinda is met with understandably high anticipation.. It’s a long-time coming dream role for the star too, a fact made clear by fans as they resurfaced a tweet made by Grande back in 2011. And though she has yet to bring her riffs to the West End, we would love to see her tread the boards in London now that she’s officially back in her musical theatre era.

Ariana Grade via X, 2011.

It was recently announced that Courtney-Mae Briggs of West End productions of Hamilton and Back to the Future: The Musical is set to play the role of Elphaba’s mother, Melena Thropp, while West End veteran Sharon D. Clarke (West End premiere of RENT; Hairspray; Chicago) will take on the iconic part of the midwife. From what we can see, the team behind Wicked had clearly been keeping an eye on West End stars during the casting process—so much so that a game of spot the West End star could be justified.

Keep an eye out for Kerry Ellis (Wicked), Luke Bayer (Everyone’s Talking About Jamie), Andy Nyman (Hello Dolly!), Adam James (Girl from the North Country), Georgina Onuorah (Kiss Me Kate), Jenna Boyd (Come From Away), Aisha Jawando (TINA: The Musical), Dianne Pilkington (Les Misérables), Misa Koide (The King and I), and many more.

As if that’s not exciting enough, Wicked has also announced London as one of the five cities to which they will be bringing their The Journey Through Oz tour to. As put by Ariana Grande in a video announcement on Instagram, Grande, Erivo, and many other ‘fellow Ozians’ will be “transforming each special stop into a magical location from the film." So that’s even more Emerald City magic coming our way this November, and we can’t wait for them to paint the town green.

Cover photo from Wicked, currently playing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Book your tickets here.