Director of Wicked: For Good, Jon M. Chu has revealed why the sequel will include two new songs, for Glinda and Elphaba respectively, original to the film series rather than the Broadway musical it is adapted from. While at Deadline’s Contenders London event, the filmmaker stated that he has “always preferred the second act of the musical,” describing it as “the emotional core of the story.” With these two, Chu aimed to develop additional musical themes to convey the same meaning on the big screen. Chu explained,
“For me, what I think the second half needed was to know more about these individual women’s experiences. How lonely is it when you make a choice like that and you have to stand up to power and you feel like you’re the only one doing it…And what happens when you’re someone like Glinda who has this bubble of protection, where you don’t ever have to deal with the truth if you don’t want to. Are you able to pop your bubble of privilege?”
Chu reassured fans that the additional songs are not for spectacle or film length, rather the “emotional connection” the audience understands about Elphaba and Glinda. Chu said,
“We needed more songs, because we needed more avenues into that mindset. Musicals are great because it’s not about being bigger, it’s about going deeper into these characters and minds and what they’re going through…[these songs]allow us to witness how they go through these thoughts and the audience can experience.”
The two new songs are titled “The Girl in the Bubble,” performed by Ariana Grande’s Glinda, and “No Place Like Home”, sung by Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba.
The sequel will focus on the events immediately following the conclusion of Wicked: Part One and will cover the second act of the stage musical written by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Wicked: For Good will be released in theaters on November 21st.
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