'Wicked' movie to premiere as scheduled despite SAG-AFTRA strike

Director Jon M. Chu assures fans that the highly-anticipated two-part release of the musical adaptation "Wicked" will proceed as planned, despite a temporary production halt due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

The star-studded cast of "Wicked" includes Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh. The film serves as the first of two adaptations from the popular stage musical based on Gregory Maguire's novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West," featuring characters from L. Frank Baum's classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

Set in the fictional Land of Oz, the movie follows the captivating journey of Elphaba, a green-skinned woman, and her journey to Wicked Witch of the West.

Jon M. Chu provided an Instagram update, explaining that the actors' strike led to a temporary pause in production, with only the final scenes remaining to be filmed. Despite this setback, Chu remains optimistic about meeting the scheduled release dates for "Wicked." Part One is set for November 27th, 2024, and Part Two for November 26th, 2025.

"Wicked" encountered several delays, initially planned for a 2021 release when announced in 2019, but the pandemic necessitated a postponement until July of the following year.