Wicked Director Tears Down Walls for Emotional Scene

Director Jon M. Chu revealed that a pivotal emotional scene in 'Wicked: For Good' involved demolishing a physical set wall to capture authentic character interactions. This decision, made during rehearsals with stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, led to a powerful split-frame sequence, becoming Chu's favorite moment. The film's second part, 'For Good,' is described as a descent into political tragedy, contrasting with the lighter tone of the first installment.

The narrative explores the transformation of Boq into the Tin Man as 'the birth of a monster,' driven by feelings of being ignored and seeking validation through collective rage. Chu highlights Boq's realization of community in hate as his true loss of heart, rather than his physical change. The film also addresses Oz's linguistic rules, with Chu advocating for the inclusion of lines like 'I love you' to preserve human authenticity.

Chu acknowledges the film's resonant political themes of misinformation and fracturing communities, noting that the script's core messages, written years ago, feel increasingly relevant. He prefers audiences to interpret the film's ending, particularly the question of Glinda's awareness of Elphaba's fate, allowing for personal interpretation of the characters stepping into the unknown.