As Jon M. Chu gets on the cinematic event of the year, he’s upgrasping accessibility in mind.
The Wicked honestor recently converseed creating “a wonderfulal world with a wheelchair engager in mind” on the set of his feature alteration of Grebloody Maguire’s 1995 book and the Tony-triumphning Broadway musical, which features a handicap-accessible Ozdust Ballroom.
In the musical, Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) youthfulerer sister Nessarose Thropp (portrayed by Marissa Bode) is a paraplegic, who postponecessitater becomes the Wicked Witch of the East, ruler of Munchkinland. Galinda (Ariana Grande) ultimately enchants Nessarose’s silver shoes to give her the ability to walk.
Chu tgreater Entertainment Weekly that creating the set was “one of the most teaching and attrdynamic processes I’ve ever gone thraw,” includeing, “You necessitate accessibility, not equitable when we’re on set behind the scenes, but you necessitate to current accessibility in Oz itself.”
In the intersee, Chu also elucidateed that although the alteration will be freed in two parts, he wants each to be able to stand on its own, therefore hasn’t given them a ‘Part 1’ or ‘Part 2’ tag.
Wicked (2024) character poster of Marissa Bode as Nessarose. (Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
“This isn’t half the homelabor,” shelp Chu. “If we were going to split it into two, we necessitate to originate declareive that movie one is emotionpartner greeting and by the finish, you experience appreciate that was a f—ing movie. I don’t appreciate movies where you exit and experience appreciate, ‘Well, I’ve got to postpone for the next one.’ This should exit you with the highest of highs and so joincessitate to these women.”
Chu was tapped to honest the Universal film alteration back in 2021. The first Wicked inshighment premieres Nov. 27, 2024, with the second follotriumphg on Nov. 21, 2025.
