Context:

NBC has announced a live musical TV special of 'Wicked' featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, set to air this November, just before the release of 'Wicked: For Good'. The event will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on NBC, with a next-day stream available on Peacock. Director Jon M. Chu revealed the news during NBCUniversal’s presentation in New York, highlighting it as a unique event in the 22-year history of 'Wicked'. The special will include performances of songs from the first movie and possibly the second, along with appearances by surprise guests. A sneak peek of the unreleased 'Wicked: For Good' trailer was also shown, with strict security measures humorously emphasized by Chu.

Dive Deeper:

• NBC is set to broadcast a live musical TV special of 'Wicked' in November, featuring stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, coinciding with the release of 'Wicked: For Good'.

• The special event will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, streamed live on NBC, and available on Peacock the following day, offering wide accessibility to audiences.

• Director Jon M. Chu announced this unprecedented event during NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation, emphasizing its significance as a central piece of their campaign for the second 'Wicked' film.

• The live performance will include many songs from the first 'Wicked' movie and may feature some from the upcoming sequel, promising a night of thrilling entertainment.

• Jon M. Chu presented a sneak peek of the 'Wicked: For Good' trailer, humorously warning attendees about security measures involving 'fly monkeys', adding a playful touch to the event's anticipation.

• A live musical TV special featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande is coming to NBC!

• Just ahead of the release of Wicked: For Good, the special will air on the network this November.

• The Wicked special event will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and be broadcast live on NBC and stream next day on Peacock.

• Keep reading to find out more…

• The Wicked live TV musical special news was announced by director Jon M. Chu during NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall in New York on Monday (May 12), via Variety.

• “I am absolutely delighted to let you in on a centerpiece of our campaign for the second film, and it’s something that’s never been done in the 22-year history of Wicked,” he said.

• “This fall, our stars, the wonderful Cynthia Erivo and incandescent Ariana Grande, will be joined by their castmates and some wonderful surprise guests in a one time only event from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, they will perform live many of the songs from the first movie — and maybe a little bit from the second one as well, for a night of entertainment that we think will be, as they say in Oz, thrillifying.”

• There was also a special sneak peek at the unreleased trailer for Wicked: For Good, which he presented along with a warning to attendees to put away their phones.

• “If you even reach for them, just know we’ve got fly monkeys staged all around the theater, and they take security very seriously. Believe me, you do not want to tangle with them,” he joked.

• Here are 8 moments from the second film that were already teased in the first movie’s trailer!