When Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and director Jon M. Chu took the stage in Las Vegas last April to preview Wicked ahead of its theatrical release, expectations were high but cautious. Fast forward to this year’s CinemaCon, and their appearance felt like a victory celebration, thanks to the film’s critical success and box office triumph.
“This is the third year that Wicked has closed Universal’s CinemaCon presentation,” Chu remarked. “Thank God it worked out.”
Wicked: For Good, set to hit theaters in November, wraps up the film adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical inspired by The Wizard of Oz. The sequel stars Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West, and Grande as Glinda, the Good Witch of the South.
Grande teased, “We already have our tissues packed,” referencing their emotional press tours that often left them in tears. Erivo added with a smile, “I promise less waterworks this time,” before unveiling a short montage from the upcoming film.
Universal Pictures delivered an unforgettable CinemaCon presentation, showcasing an impressive lineup of films. The event was a celebration of Hollywood’s latest projects, with a touch of theatrics—featuring live orchestras and iconic film scores from Psycho to Jurassic Park, and, of course, Wicked.
One standout moment was the reveal of Jurassic World: Rebirth, starring Mahershala Ali and Scarlett Johansson, with director Gareth Edwards making a grand entrance as the orchestra played the film’s legendary theme. Johansson shared her excitement, saying, “It has been a lifelong dream to be in a ‘Jurassic’ movie. For the last 15 years, I’ve reached out every time I heard they were making one.”
Earlier that day, attendees enjoyed a sneak peek of How to Train Your Dragon, a live-action adaptation of the animated hit, featuring Gerard Butler and Mason Thames, set for a June release.
The orchestra, led by Emmy-winning composer Rickey Minor—former bandleader on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno—added an extra layer of excitement.
The surprises didn’t stop there. Producer Jason Blum, known for his work with Blumhouse Productions, appeared dressed as Freddy Fazbear to tease Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, slated for release in December. To wrap things up, 30 actors dressed as M3GAN, the eerie AI doll from the film, performed a dance routine to Britney Spears’ “Oops!…I Did It Again.” M3GAN 2.0 is set to hit theaters in June.