Wicked Featurette Shows off New Behind-The-Scenes Clips
A new Wicked featurette gives fans an inside look at how the set-building crew brings the magical world of Oz to life.
For the last few months, the Wicked team has been releasing short teasers and vignettes, giving fans a peek behind the scenes of the highly anticipated film. The latest featurette, posted on July 24, provides fans with insight into how director Jon Chu and the rest of the film’s crew built the world of Wicked from the ground up.
“If you want to be inside that world, you have to build it.”
— Wicked Movie (@wickedmovie) July 24, 2024
Director @JonMChu talks about bringing the world of #WickedMovie to life in this new featurette. pic.twitter.com/8k0ig6ytpa
this is gonna be brilliant
— caleb mark (@calebmarkfelix) July 24, 2024
Despite the fantastical, larger-than-life aspects of the film, Chu emphasizes the importance of constructing a practical set instead of relying on green screens for most of the world-building. “What does it feel like to be in Oz?” the director asks regarding the sets of Wicked. “To feel it in your fingertips. If you want to be inside that world, you’ve got to build it.”
The video features wide-panning, time-lapsed shots of the film crew constructing the large, towering structures of The Emerald City, along with the humble huts of Munchkinland. Chu also shows off the train to Oz. It “takes two days to move” and weighs “16 tons,” according to the Crazy Rich Asians director. Lead actress Cynthia Erivo comments on the expertly built sets. The star states, “To see all that detail, all of it adds to the things that you can imagine.”
“A lot of it is real, physical, tangible sets,” Glinda actress Ariana Grande explains. Erivo, playing the role of Elphaba, also discusses her appreciation for this aspect of the sets. “It’s wonderful to be able to touch the space,” she expresses.
As the crew sprays the set green, puts together a massive forest, and lays down the yellow brick road, Chu highlights all of the moving parts necessary to breathe life into the world of Wicked. “All of this didn’t just take production design. It took special effects. It took visual effects. It’s pretty mind-blowing to think that [the film] can go from drawings and ideas and a dream to sitting here today,” he explains.
All the sets that were built for Wicked movie are GORGEOUS https://t.co/ecFX7FwOOX
— alex (@SWEENEYSTVEIT) July 24, 2024
Wicked premieres in theaters on November 22. View the official trailer below.
