Is Wicked the movie a musical?

Fans will soon be defying gravity with Glinda and Elphaba – but is Wicked the movie a musical? Here’s what you need to know.

Before The Wizard of Oz, there was Wicked – except the prequel story was released well after the famed 1939 movie starring Judy Garland.

Now, Glinda and Elphaba’s origin story is set to hit the big screen, with Wicked the movie heading to theaters just in time for Thanksgiving 2024.

With its first teaser officially airing during Super Bowl Sunday, you might be wondering: is Wicked the movie a musical? Here’s everything you need to know.

Is Wicked the movie a musical?

Yes, Wicked the movie will be a musical, just like the stage show.

Fans can expect to sing along to hit songs such as ‘Defying Gravity’ and ‘Popular’, though early reports suggest that at least two brand-new songs will also be added to the film’s storyline.

Creator of the original 2003 Broadway show Stephen Schwartz recently stated (via Playbill): “That song (‘Defying Gravity’) is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic.” Surprisingly, he also appears to leave room for that decision to change, writing, “When it’s all done, if it doesn’t work that way, we’ll have to figure something out.”

Because the musical itself is now being expanded into a two-film mini-franchise, there are plenty of reasons why new material will need to be incorporated. “[The changes] need to add something to the story or the characters. They can’t just be changes to do something different,” producer Marc Platt added in the same interview.

However, further reports suggest that these new songs will be expected in the second movie, rather than Wicked Part 1 – meaning fans will have to wait that little bit longer to learn exactly what they are.

Schwartz’s official soundtrack for Wicked Part 1 will be as follows:

• ‘No One Mourns the Wicked’ Performed by Ariana Grande


• ‘Dear Old Shiz’ Performed by Ensemble

• ‘The Wizard and I’ Performed by Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh


• ‘What is this Feeling?’ Performed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande


• ‘Something Bad’ Performed by Cynthia Erivo


• ‘Dancing Through Life’ Performed by Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande


• ‘Popular’ Performed by Ariana Grande


• ‘A Sentimental Man’
• ‘Defying Gravity’ Performed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande



Wicked Part 1 will be released in November 2024.