Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
It's all about Wicked lately. We've seen interview after interview of stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande channeling Elphaba and Glinda, clutching each other's hands for support as they tearily reflect on filming the beloved Broadway-adapted movie musical. But the wait is over for good, and it's time to experience the magic ourselves. Wicked is finally here, and we are flying to the box office.
Wicked, the smash-hit broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, adapted from Gregory Maguire's 1995 book of the same name, infamously bewitched audiences with its novel storyline, iconic vocal performances, and captivating music when it was unleashed on Broadway in 2003. It broke multiple box office records and held the record for the highest grossing Broadway show of all time several years in a row, according to Playbill. As a prequel to the Wizard of Oz, Wicked offered a refreshing twist on our understanding of its two witches, focusing on the unexpected friendship between Glinda "The Good Witch" and the green-skinned Elphaba Thropp, who later came to be known as The Wicked Witch of the West.
The movie adaptation, out November 22, was helmed by In The Heights director Jon M. Chu. With its breathtaking sets and a star-studded cast, it's poised to be one of the most successful movies of the year. Along with Erivo and Grande, the film also features Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton) as Fiyero, Ethan Slater (SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical) as Boq, Jeff Goldblum (The Fly, Jurassic Park) as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once) as Madame Morrible, Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) as Doctor Dillamond, and Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) as Pfannee.
While filmed altogether, director Jon M. Chu announced in April 2022 that the Wicked movie would be released in two parts. Producer Marc Platt told Vanity Fair, "We didn't want to end up making one four-hour movie and then cutting out songs. We want to satisfy the fans of the musical. Film allows you to create a place and a time -- a university like Shiz, an extraordinary Emerald City governor's mansion. There's so much more to explore." Thus, today's release marks the first installment of Wicked, with part two set to hit theaters on November 21, 2025.
If you care to see the long-awaited film, look no further -- here's how you can buy last-minute tickets to see Wicked in theaters.
Tickets went on sale as early as October 9, but even as theaters are quickly filling up ahead of opening weekend, there's still a chance to get into a showing. For a full list of Wicked showtimes, see below.
Buy Tickets
And while longtime Wicked fans might be tempted to sing along to their favorite act-one hits like "Popular" and "Defying Gravity" in theaters this weekend, AMC warns fans to wait, Eyewitness News reports. Instead, they are encouraged to hold out until the Christmas-Day release of the interactive sing-along showings of the film in select U.S. theaters. Details regarding location count and showtimes have yet to be finalized -- but at least that gives Wicked lovers some time to warm up their vocal cords.