It’s been a long road from the Gershwin Theatre to the big screen. Honestly, fans have been waiting for this movie since roughly 2004. If you’ve been scouring the internet to figure out exactly when is Wicked out in theaters, the answer is actually a double-feature situation that spans two different years. Universal Pictures decided to split the massive Broadway sensation into two distinct films, and the rollout is finally happening.
The first installment of Wicked hit theaters on November 22, 2024.
That date was a bit of a moving target for a while. Originally, the studio had it pegged for a Wednesday release, but they bumped it up to Friday to capitalize on the massive pre-Thanksgiving box office rush. They were clearly looking for that "Barbenheimer" energy, especially since it went head-to-head with Gladiator II.
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But what about the rest of the story?
The Long Wait for Part Two
You can't just watch half a show and call it a day. The second half of the story—the part where things get significantly darker and the political landscape of Oz really starts to crumble—isn't coming out until November 21, 2025.
That’s a full year of waiting.
Director Jon M. Chu, known for Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights, has been very vocal about why this split was necessary. If you’ve seen the stage play, you know that "Defying Gravity" is the natural stopping point. It’s an emotional peak. Chu argued that trying to cram the entire sprawling narrative of Gregory Maguire’s novel and the Stephen Schwartz musical into a single three-hour movie would have required cutting too many fan-favorite songs.
Think about it. We’re talking about "Popular," "For Good," and "The Wizard and I." Each of these needs room to breathe. By splitting the films, the production team was able to expand the world of Shiz University and give Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship the screen time it actually deserves.
Why the Release Dates Kept Shifting
Hollywood scheduling is a chaotic game of chess. For a while, the Wicked release dates were jumping around more than a winged monkey.
Universal originally wanted Part One to come out in December 2024 to dominate the Christmas holiday. Then, they realized they didn't want to compete with Moana 2. Smart move. By shifting to November, they grabbed the family audience early and stayed in theaters throughout the entire holiday season.
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It’s also worth noting the impact of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. Production in the UK was nearly finished—literally days away from completion—when the strikes hit. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande had to step away from the set with the finish line in sight. Once the strikes were resolved, the crew rushed back to finish the "One Short Day" sequences and the final emotional beats of the first film.
Is the Movie Actually Different From the Show?
The short answer? Yes.
While the core music remains the same, the movie leans much more heavily into the source material of the original book. The political tensions between the Wizard and the Talking Animals are more pronounced. You get to see the actual geography of Oz in a way that a physical stage simply cannot accommodate.
- Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo): This isn't just a carbon copy of Idina Menzel. Erivo brings a soulful, raw vulnerability to the role that feels more grounded.
- Glinda (Ariana Grande): Many people were skeptical about this casting. However, Grande’s background in musical theater—remember, she started on Broadway in the musical 13—really shines here. Her comedic timing is surprisingly sharp.
- The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum): Expect a lot of "Goldblum-isms." He brings a quirkiness to the role that makes the Wizard feel more like a misguided tinkerer than a flat-out villain.
There are also new songs. Stephen Schwartz, the legendary composer, confirmed that he wrote new material specifically for the film to bridge certain narrative gaps that exist when you don't have an intermission.
Where to See It and How to Watch
By now, the first film has moved through its primary theatrical window. If you missed it during the initial November 2024 run, you're likely looking for it on streaming or in budget theaters.
Since it’s a Universal film, it’s going to live on Peacock. Typically, Universal movies hit the streaming platform about 45 to 90 days after their theatrical debut. If you are holding out for the "Big Screen" experience for Part Two, you need to mark your calendar for the 2025 Thanksgiving window.
Theaters are also leaning into "Fan Events." During the 2024 release, many AMC and Regal locations offered "Pink and Green" screenings where fans were encouraged to dress up. Expect even more of that for the 2025 finale.
The Cultural Impact of the Split
Some critics have complained about "Part 1" fatigue. We've seen it with Dune, Mission: Impossible, and Spider-Verse. It can be frustrating to leave a theater feeling like you only got half a story.
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However, Wicked is unique because the stage show itself is so clearly defined by its two acts. Act One is about the friendship and the rise of the "Wicked Witch." Act Two is about the fallout, the redemption, and the ultimate sacrifice. Trying to merge them might have felt rushed.
The budget for these films is massive. We're talking hundreds of millions of dollars spent on practical sets. They actually planted huge fields of real tulips to avoid using too much CGI. That level of detail is why the release was spaced out—they needed time to get the visual effects of the second half perfect.
What to Do Next
If you are planning to catch up before Part Two arrives in late 2025, here is how you should handle it:
- Watch Part One on Streaming: Keep an eye on Peacock starting in early 2025. It will likely be the only place to stream it for a while.
- Read the Original Book: If you want a deeper understanding of the "Animals" plotline (like Dr. Dillamond), Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is a must-read, though be warned: it is much more adult than the musical.
- Book Part Two Early: Given how fast the "Pink and Green" screenings sold out in 2024, you’ll want to look for tickets for the November 21, 2025 release as early as October.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: The 2024 film soundtrack features live vocals from the actors, which is a rarity in modern movie musicals. Comparing Erivo’s "Defying Gravity" to the original Broadway cast recording is a great way to appreciate the different nuances of the character.
The wait for the conclusion of the story is long, but given the scale of the production, the two-part release seems to be the only way to truly capture the magic of Oz without cutting corners.