After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu, Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.
The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
As the film prepares to fly into theatres this November, Peter Gray spoke with the creatives behind the magic of Oz, including Academy Award-winning Hair and Make-up artist Frances Hannon, who spoke to us about the biggest challenge she had to overcome in visually detailing this story, finding a balance between honouring the original material with her own vision, and which film has truly impressed her as an artist.
Before getting into Wicked itself, how did you come to be on the pathway with this career?
With regards to film, so many of my colleagues were inspired by a particular film. For me, I just liked painting and sculpture, particularly 3D, and it really just progressed from there. I continued on and was very lucky to get the opportunity to learn the art, and going to the BBC where you get some of the best training in the world.
With Wicked being based on existing looks, how did you honour the original history whilst updating it for a new audience at the same time?
I call it doing your homework. I really studied the script, and I look for moments where I can use hair and make-up and prosthetics to enhance their journey along the way. So when I present (director) Jon M. Chu a (character) I’m presenting their whole life. It’s not just “Oh, this hairstyle will look nice in this scene.” It’s the whole journey they’re going on. And once you have these meetings where you know the colour palettes and the size, because these are the biggest sets I’ve ever worked on, and my work has to compliment the size of the costumes too. You know, a little bun on the top of your head won’t cut the mustard in Emerald City (laughs). There’s so many things to take into design.
As you said about this being the biggest set you’ve worked on, is it one of those things that stepping onto Wicked still took your breath away as to how monumental it all is? I imagine you’ve seen so many things across your career…
Yes, it is nice. Monumental is such a great way to describe it. It was such a lovely surprise. Looking at the models and drawings in our meetings, which is all we have, to then seeing what Nathan (Crowley, Production Designer) has created – even if it wasn’t finished – was awe-inspiring. I always felt like everything Nathan created was so spectacular. I was delighted to be a part of the design for Wicked.
Everything starts with Nathan and Jon, and you have their vision, but how did you find that balance of their vision with your own creative freedom?
I was lucky because I’ve worked with Jon before. I felt like he trusted my process from early days. And from talking in our early meetings, listening is so very important. Often people miss that moment. They don’t listen enough. I was just absorbing everything they were saying, and it was taking that and working with those thoughts to find something original. That’s how it all started, really. I would always bring any of my ideas to Jon first. For example, finding the right green for Elphaba was a discovery to be made, but the actual look of the hair and that micro-braiding…because she has, perhaps, the most visually changing journey in the film. Other than Scarecrow and Tin-Man (laughs). But that’s both her heart and her exterior.
Regarding your process, have you seen anything change with technique or technology that has altered the way you work?
I think people forget that with my job, make-up is on the day. Costumes can be fitted prior. Make-up is on the day. No matter how wonderful your design is, what you can’t do is take up most of Jon Chu’s day because your make-up will take away 4 or 5 hours. And that’s true of any film I’ve worked on, such as X-Men: First Class with Jennifer Lawrence. Her make-up took hours, and you can only allow that to happen so many times. The technique in your design is that you have to have a limit of time. You always have to take into account what you can achieve, the desired effect, without taking away from the filming day. I think some people forget that less is more, and it’s the nuances that really make the difference. The big prosthetics are needed, but they aren’t what necessarily give finesse and originality.
Was that the hardest aspect of Wicked for you? Managing that time?
It was one of them, yes. You know that your lead artist is going to be green. You know you’re working with skin tone that may not always react well to certain shades, so it was the design of the green that was most important. I managed to find this little Canadian product that has since been discontinued, and in America and Canada you can use neon in the base of this product. And in England you couldn’t. I was told that you can use this product in food colouring, but not make-up, so we found that it came down to adding 3 drops of yellow to a green base which became the solution for the green (on Cynthia Erivo) looking absolutely beautiful in every single light. And then it was just about transferring that onto costumes and making sure it didn’t sweat off. Some people don’t realise that with a hair-do, it doesn’t just have to last for a photo, it has to last 12 hours of dancing.
And that comes down to technique versus technology. We talked about possibly making Cynthia green in post-production, but luckily for me, once this green was discovered, Cynthia, Jon, Pablo (Helman), our head of VFX, and I put the tests side by side, picked it to bits, and thankfully we all chose the make-up. I was delighted. Even Fiyero’s horse, that wasn’t done in post either. Some of the animals are, but the iridescent blue of the horse was done with make-up.
And as you mentioned First Class earlier, looking at your career was that one of the most difficult you have worked on? Is there a title for you that stands out as the film that challenged you the most?
No, X-Men wasn’t that difficult. That was down to time. I had to change the blue that (director) Matthew Vaughn wanted, not because of the colour, but because the prosthetics on Jennifer Lawrence we’re already done prior. Working with Wes Anderson is a challenge, because there are so many looks. It can be like working on 5 films at once. You have to push to keep ahead. Time is always the thing that’s against us.
And, just quickly, is there a film for you that you would’ve love to have worked on? Or one that you watch thinking “I could have done that make-up!”
Oh, gosh, what a question. I do know there is one film, absolutely, that I would’ve love to have worked on, and not thinking I could do better, but that it was just so mindblowing. Deadpool, which Bill Corso did, I absolutely loved what he did with that spectacular revelation of what had happened to him. But the film I think is absolutely mindblowing, I can’t tell you the name (laughs).
Australian audiences can attend the first screenings of Wicked at limited previews on November 20, celebrating a “Wicked Wednesday” in cinemas nationwide. Tickets to these exclusive events go on sale today, Friday October 11, along with tickets to the film’s season. Citizens of Oz are all invited to gather their best friends, sisters, boyfriends, young and old to experience the magical spectacle on the big screen.
On November 3, Sydney will be the first stop on the global Journey Through Oz premiere tour – a series of themed premieres across five international cities offering audiences an unparalleled experience of the film’s wondrous, breathtaking world.
Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) will be joined by their co-stars Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater and the film’s visionary director Jon M. Chu at the Australian premiere – a whimsical tribute to Munchkinland, the first wonderous realm in the world of Wicked. The Australian Premiere of Wicked is presented in partnership with American Express.
After the land of Oz experiences the magic of Wicked, the three continent global extravaganza will continue when the cast head to the Los Angeles premiere, reimagined as the ornate Shiz University, then Mexico City, which will unveil the mystical Enchanted Forest, a special screening at the renowned Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City featuring a re-creation of the film’s glamorous Ozdust Ballroom, and finally, the London premiere where the shimmering Emerald City will be showcased in all its glory.
Wicked opens nationally in Australian theatres on November 21st, 2024.
