New Delhi, India

Looks like Ariana Grande starrer Wicked wants to avoid all clashes at the box office as makers announced that it will no longer release with Moana 2 in theatres. The film is an adaptation of a hit and famous Broadway show of the same name. The film will now land in theatres on November 22, five days before its scheduled release. 

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Moana 2 will be released on its original date – November 27.

Wicked shifts dates to avoid clash with Moana 2

Wicked too was supposed to release on November 27 but fans speculate that makers intelligently have avoided a clash with a movie that caters to a similar kind of audience. It would have otherwise been a battle royale among films that cater to a similar female demographic. 

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With the new shift in dates, Wicked is now plotted against Gladiator II, a film which is very different in story and genre. 

Wicked will play out in parts. Wicked Part I was initially slated for December 25 but Universal moved the film to Thanksgiving to dodge Christmas releases like Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Also read: John Wick franchise makers to work on English-language remake of Indian film Kill

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Wicked I and Wicked II are both helmed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M Chu. After the first film is out and received well with the audiences, Wicked II will be released a year later on November 26, 2025.

What is Wicked all about?

For the unversed, Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It is an adaptation of the long-running Broadway show that features classics like Defying Gravity and Popular. The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in leading roles. Cynthia stars as Elphaba (aka the Wicked Witch of the West) and Ariana as Glinda (the Good), who form an unlikely friendship that is torn apart by external forces. 

Wicked also features Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University headmaster Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq and Bowen Yang as Pfannee.