Ariana Grande wows Wicked fans in first trailer for musical film

Singer and actor plays lead role in forthcoming stage adaptation alongside Cynthia Erivo

Ariana Grande fans have been celebrating as the first official trailer for the Wicked film adaptation has been unveiled.

Following years of anticipation, audiences have received an extended glimpse at this new, cinematic version of the stage show that birthed a new generation of theatre lovers with songs such as “Defying Gravity”, “For Good” and “No One Mourns the Wicked”.

The “yes, and?” singer plays Glinda the Good Witch in the film, while the green-skinned anti-hero Elphaba is played by Cynthia Erivo in this alternative telling of the classic Wizard of Oz tale.

The clip was first broadcast on Super Bowl Sunday (11 February) and also features British actor Jonathan Bailey as the witches’ love interest Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madam Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard and Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang as Pfannee, a student at Glinda and Elphaba’s school.

Also in the cast is Broadway star Ethan Slater, who plays lovelorn student Boq. Grande and Slater met while on set and have been in a relationship since last summer, following the end of both of their marriages.

In the short clip, we see Glinda and Elphaba meeting for the first time, with Glinda gasping with surprise after seeing Elphaba’s green appearance. Short scenes then detail how their relationship changes with time, with the pair eventually becoming close friends and confidantes as they learn that the Wizard may not be the hero that he is painted out to be.

The trailer ends with the sound of Elphaba belting the exhilarating final note of “Defying Gravity”, originally made famous by Idina Menzel, who played the character in New York and London in the early 2000s.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked trailer (Universal / screengrab)

In response to this initial glimpse of the film, many have taken to social media to share their positive thoughts.

Much of the commentary revolves around the leads, Erivo and Grande, and their interpretations of the iconic roles.

“Ariana and Cynthia ate that so much, I can’t wait to watch!” one X/Twitter user wrote, while another added: “If you heard screams across Brooklyn, that was me.”

One social media commenter praised Grande in particular, telling the “thank u, next” vocalist: “You’ll always be a star.”

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked trailer (Wicked Movie, Universal Pictures)

“Ugh, November needs to come sooner,” another fan added.

The on-screen Wicked story will be split into two parts, with the first edition scheduled to hit UK cinemas on 28 November.

Its sequel, Wicked: Part Two, will be released in November 2025.