Get ready to singalong from your sofa:Wicked is set to be released on streaming services next week, signficantly earlier than had been expected.
The hit musical starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will be available to buy in the US on Amazon Prime, Apple TV+ and other digital platforms from next Tuesday, December 31.
It will become available in the UK a few days later on Friday, January 3.
The film will be a premium digital release, set to cost $29.99 in the US and £19.99 in the UK.
A physical release on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD is expected to follow on February 4, 2025.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked tells the heartwarming story of two young witches as they navigate their way through university and learn about true friendship.
Later known as the Wicked Witch of The West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), is a green-hued extraordinary witch who faces many obstacles because of her differentness, and forms an bond with Glinda (Ariana Grande), who is the opposite of Elphaba in most ways – popular, loved and blonde.
The film features songs from the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, and stars Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Peter Dinklage, Bowen Yang, and Marissa Bode alongside Erivo, Grande and Bailey. With a run time of just under three hours, the 2024 film is just the first part of the whole story, with the second and final instalment, Wicked: For Good, set to hit cinemas on November 21, 2025.
Earlier this week, Oscar-nominated Don’t Look Up director Adam McKay said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Wicked banned in America given the country’s current political trajectory.
McKay made the bold claim on X/Twitter on Monday (December 23), calling the film “one of the most radical big studio Hollywood movies ever made.”
“I know Part 2 swings back to the center a bit,” he said, “but Part 1 is nakedly about radicalization in the face of careerism, fascism, propaganda.”
Responding to a surprised commenter who said they hadn’t seen Wicked yet because they thought it looked more like “American fantasy, franchise-wringing and CGI fare,” McKay said: “I think you’ll be shocked. If America keeps going on the track it is I wouldn’t be surprised to see the movie banned in 3-5 years.”
He went on to compare Wicked to a handful of 20th-century classics, including The Sound of Music, Citizen Kane, Bridge on the River Kwai and The Searchers, as well as newer fare such as The Hunger Games, which he labeled “incredibly left wing.”