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Wicked<\/em><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>is flying into theaters a little early!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The highly anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway sensation will now arrive a week early on Nov. 22, five days ahead of its initial Thanksgiving weekend release date of Nov. 27. The move pulls the film from direct competition with Disney’s <\/span>Moana 2<\/em><\/a>, which is still slated to release on Nov. 27.<\/span><\/p>\n Wicked <\/span><\/em>— which stars <\/span>Ariana Grande<\/a> and <\/span>Cynthia Erivo<\/a> as its two main witches —<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em>will now hit theaters on the same day as another major sequel, <\/span>Gladiator II<\/span><\/em>, which <\/span>released first-look photos<\/a> just hours prior to Universal Pictures’ <\/span>good news<\/span><\/em> about <\/span>Wicked<\/span><\/em>‘s earlier release date.<\/span><\/p>\n On X (formerly Twitter), the film’s director, Jon M. Chu, made the announcement to fans, sharing that <\/span>The Wizard of Oz<\/span><\/em> prequel — which won three Tony Awards after its premiere on Broadway more than two decades ago — would soon be <\/span>defying gravity<\/span><\/em>\u00a0in theaters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “5. DAYS. EARLIER!!!! Let\u2019s goooo!! <\/span>#WickedMovie<\/a> <\/span>#Nov22<\/a>,” Chu, 44, wrote in a tweet Monday evening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The film follows the story of Glinda the Good Witch (Grande) and Erivo as Elphaba — aka the Wicked Witch of the West — and how they went from foes to unlikely friends while together on the campus of Shiz University\u00a0 The adaptation also stars <\/span>Bridgerton<\/span><\/em>‘s\u00a0<\/span>Jonathan Bailey<\/a>\u00a0as Fiyero — the love interest who finds himself caught between Elphaba and Glinda — Oscar winner\u00a0<\/span>Michelle Yeoh<\/a>\u00a0as headmistress Madame Morrible and\u00a0<\/span>Jeff Goldblum<\/a>\u00a0as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.<\/span><\/p>\n The announcement comes after ET spoke with the original Elphaba on Broadway, <\/span>Idina Menzel<\/a>, at the 2024 Tony Awards in June, where <\/span>she shared her enthusiasm<\/a> at the project — which has been in development for nearly two decades — finally arriving in theaters later this year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “So excited. I’ve just been so proud of it, and it’s gonna reach a whole other audience,” Menzel said.<\/span><\/p>\n Later in the night, Menzel and her successor\u00a0<\/span>took to the stage together<\/a> after Universal Pictures released another <\/span>new trailer for <\/a>Wicked<\/a>.<\/span><\/em> Much like\u00a0the trailer featured short and sweet snippets of songs “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” the interaction between Menzel and Erivo prior to announcing <\/span>the winner of Best Musical<\/a>\u00a0was just as exciting for fans of the musical.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m just gonna go off script real quick to say how excited I am to see what I know is going to be an amazing performance in that movie that you’re doing,” Menzel said as Erivo replied,\u00a0“I love you.”<\/span><\/p>\n “And I just wanna say Green Girl power!” Menzel added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Wicked: Part One<\/span><\/em> releases on Nov. 22, 2024 while <\/span>Wicked: Part Two<\/span><\/em> is expected on Nov.\u00a026, 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n RELATED CONTENT:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n