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Around the same time Universal Pictures decided not to heavily market Wicked as a musical (which has become the norm in recent years), "Part One" was also dropped from the movie's subtitle.
There's already been a great deal of speculation online about what that means, with some going so far as to wonder whether "Part Two" might reimagine the events of The Wizard of Oz. Regardless, a sequel will follow next November and the expectation is that Wicked will end on a cliffhanger of some sort.
Does that mean we should expect a post-credits scene teeing up what's to come?
We can now confirm that no, Wicked does not feature a mid or post-credits scene. When the credits roll, that's it, though it's always worth sticking around to see the names of everyone who worked hard on bringing this movie to the big screen.
Talking to io9, filmmaker Jon M. Chu said this about whether he was part of the decision to make Wicked a two-parter:
"Yes for sure. [Universal] was dancing back and forth and I think that was part of the problem of getting it started. They kept going “Oh it’s one movie, no it’s two movies.” I had to come and be like, “We need to make a choice with this.” You cannot make a good one movie or two movies by dancing back and forth. Commit to two movies right now, otherwise, we’re never making those two movies good. I promise you that."
"We can always change our minds, but we cannot think about it right now. That’s what we committed to. And once you commit to that, then you can pull this thing apart and find what we need to. The plot holes we need to fill, and the things we need to build to build up to “Defying Gravity.” So that was a big choice."
Are you excited to watch Wicked in theaters this weekend? Or will you be choosing Gladiator II instead? If you're eager to know whether the latter has a post-credits scene, you can find out here.
After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony-winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.
They're joined by Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University's regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba's favoured sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu, Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration and arrives in theaters on November 22.