A trailer for the movie adaptation of the musical “Wicked” aired during the first half hour of Superbowl LVIII. The championship football game was broadcast on Feb. 11 on CBS and Paramount+. Directed by Jon M. Chu, “Wicked” is set to be released in two parts — the first hitting cinemas on Nov. 27.
The Superbowl commercial for “Wicked” marked the first full trailer for the upcoming film. A teaser had been released previously.
The trailer featured glimpses of Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning actor Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Grammy-winning artist Ariana Grande as Glinda, Oscar-winning actor Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, SAG Award-nominated actor Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Oscar-nominated actor Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard.
It’s significant that “Wicked” advertised during the sporting event, as it suggests the film’s intention to capture audiences beyond the typical theater-going crowd.
Watch the trailer here:
“Wicked” celebrated its 20th anniversary on Broadway on Oct. 30, 2023. The musical includes a book by Winnie Holzman and a score by Stephen Schwartz. The movie musical adaptation will feature a screenplay by Holzman with music and lyrics by Schwartz.
Other Broadway names also graced the Superbowl LVIII broadcast. Reba McEntire — who starred on Broadway, replacing as Annie Oakley in “Annie Get Your Gun” — sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Daniel Durant, who starred in the 2015 revival of “Spring Awakening,” performed the anthem alongside McEntire in American Sign Language.
Update: During the halftime show, Usher paid homage to his time as Billy Flynn in “Chicago” when he surrounded himself with a chorus of dancers sporting feathers reminiscent of the number “All I Care About.”
