After holding an unchallenged position on Broadway and the West End for more than twenty years, the musical “Wicked” by Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz is revived in cinemas, preparing to lead the next Christmas season towards important box office goals.

Based on the tales of the Kingdom of Oz and directed by Jon M. Chu, a great fan of the original show, the project was born with the desire to give life to the best possible transposition, opting for the choice of dividing the adaptation into two appointments at the cinema. The first part of "Wicked" - now available in theaters - has immediately attracted attention since its announcement for the exceptional production values but also for the choice of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the role of co-protagonists.

In the love-hate story between the Wicked Witch of the West Elphaba Thropp and the Good Witch of the South Galinda Upland, we will discover their first meetings at the University of Shiz, the discovery of Elphaba's extraordinary powers and the sinister plans of a corrupt power that intends to deprive the race of sentient Animals of speech. Already last month, the American press called "Wicked" one of the best adaptations ever to appear on the big screen in the musical field. Among the many names, critic Scott Menzel stated: "Jon M. Chu perfectly captures the magic of the Broadway show while adding something of his own that enriches the material at the base of the film. Wicked lives up to the hype and often exceeds it. And there is a scene that will make fans of the Broadway show lose their minds. Wicked is without a doubt one of the best films of the year".

Excellent feedback also on the site Rotten Tomatoes, which currently has a score of 91% of positive reviews. In addition to praising the visual quality of the title, even considered "a new model for musicals on the big screen", the comments are wasted in praising the performances of the two divas. In this regard, we read: "Ariana Grande was born to play this role. Her performance is surpassed only by that of Cynthia Erivo". And in this same direction, the two performers have been spoken of as "legitimate contenders for the Oscar". Currently "Wicked" has already surpassed "Gladiator 2" in the international market with a debut of 46.7 million dollars and the forecasts for the first weekend that speak of over 117 million. Certainly a response that, without yet committing oneself on the results at the box office, could finally move the autumn season to start the next one in the right direction. In addition to the impressive aesthetic values, the success of the title certainly depends on the understanding on the set between the protagonists.

While promoting the film in London, the stars didn't miss an opportunity to publicly declare their mutual respect. Erivo said in this sense: "I feel like I've found a family: Ariana and I have definitely bonded a lot. Forever: I've found a soul mate". And shortly after, Grande replied: "Yes, we've created a family: Jon says he needed us, but we are the ones who needed these characters. In Cynthia I found a sister". On the subject of diversity, particularly highlighted by the character of Elphaba, Erivo said: "Elphaba suffers from a particular type of loneliness. But at the same time she is full of hope, because she has been given a gift. And she knows that with that gift she can do great things. I know how it feels. She has a complicated relationship with her father, which has led her to not feel wanted, to not be part of a group. Acting means giving life to a character, but it also means digging inside yourself, to find those feelings, that you know. I had to open up a lot for this role, it's not easy. But everyone was so helpful, so welcoming: they cared about me."

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