The upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Wicked” is taking a unique approach by having the lead actors perform their songs live on camera rather than lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks. Director Jon M. Chu revealed this creative decision in a recent behind-the-scenes video promoting the film. Having the performers sing live makes for a more connected experience both technically and artistically.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who play Elphaba and Glinda respectively, will sing their vocals in real-time as the scenes are filmed. This presents a significant challenge but sets the production apart from most other movie musicals that typically rely on studio recordings. Chu explained that both stars are talented singers, so the team decided live performances were the best option for every scene. The video showed glimpses of Grande warming up her voice and Erivo singing while suspended from wires, demonstrating the technical aspects of the live capture.
Performing live allows for a closer connection to the characters and lyrics, according to Erivo. Grande agreed it was an obvious choice for the lead roles. To accommodate live vocals, sets have been transformed into makeshift recording studios. Chu hopes this will immerse audiences, as the raw emotions recorded on set will be what viewers experience in theaters.
An early online clip of Erivo and Grande singing “Defying Gravity” has already gained notice for their “pitch-perfect voices.” The promotional featurette also teased glimpses of other iconic songs from the musical, including “Popular,” “Dancing Through Life,” and “I’m Not That Girl.”
The film is being adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel and will retain the story’s perspective of “The Wizard of Oz” from its so-called villain. It has an all-star cast including Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and Peter Dinklage. Due to the scope of the tale, it will be released in two parts with the first premiering on November 22, 2024 and the second on November 26, 2025.
