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In an exclusive interview with People, Wicked and Wicked: For Good director Jon M. Chu admitted he was initially worried about “insane divaship” between the two immensely talented leads, Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), given their respective star power and massive followings. He stated:
"It was one of the most beautiful friendships to watch grow." He further added, "There could have been insane divaship, but they always put Wicked bigger than themselves, and I think that's a great sign of a great artist that they could immerse themselves in Elphaba and Galinda and they could find themselves within these characters."
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The Wicked director spoke at length to the outlet at a private dinner hosted by Gold House and OpenTable at the Brooklyn, New York restaurant Win Son on Tuesday, October 28, 2025. The news comes weeks before the release of the second part of the adaptation of the 2003 stage musical.
Jon M. Chu reveals he expected tension between Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo on Wicked
Jon M.Chu felt that the stars’ contributions made the characters bigger than life while simultaneously offering an intimate look into their relationship, adding depth "more than ever" before. He stated:
"And I think it only makes Elphaba and Galinda bigger than life, and we get to know them more intimately than ever. I think that's why it feels culturally relevant because of what they're bringing to these characters. It made my job a lot easier."
He further added:
"This movie allows us to go deeper with these characters than maybe they've ever seen. It's more than just act two. It's all the things that I've always wondered about these characters. And if you thought these girls were good in movie one, wait until you see what they're able to do in movie two. It is absolutely stunning."
The two-part adaptation of the 2003 stage musical debuted its first installment on November 22, 2024, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. This release was quickly followed by the announcement of the second film, which is scheduled to hit theaters on November 21, 2025.
The first part proved to be a cinematic event, grossing a worldwide cumulative total exceeding $756 million, making it the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation in history.
At the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, Wicked won the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and had ten Oscar nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards, where it secured the Best Costume Design award. It was also titled as one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the American Film Institute, marking a significant cultural impact.
Stay tuned for more updates.
