Michelle Yeoh Joins Wicked Films as Madame Morrible

Screen star Michelle Yeoh will command the weather in the upcoming Wicked movies. She will play Madame Morrible in the film adaptation, according to Variety. As previously announced, the movie also stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Ethan Slater as Boq. As reported, director Jon M. Chu is helming the movie musical that will be released as two films with the first releasing Christmas 2024 and the second in 2025. This marks a reunion for Chu and Yeoh, who worked together on Crazy Rich Asians.

Yeoh is a seasoned actress who is earning awards buzz for her leading performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Her screen credits include Crazy Rich Asains, Last Christmas, Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and many more. This marks her first musical role.

Stephen Schwartz has revealed the movie will contain at least three new numbers. The composer also plans to incorporate at least one song cut from the Broadway show into the film adaptation. Both Schwartz and the show's librettist Winnie Holzman are collaborating on the screenplay.

Wicked resumed performances at the Gershwin Theatre on September 14, 2021. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked spotlights the untold stories of The Wizard of Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friend, Glinda the Good. The show follows the tale of green-skinned Elphaba through the life-changing events that eventually label her “wicked.” 

Wicked is a tale about love, friendship and trust that reveals there are two sides to every story. The Grammy-winning score by Schwartz features the songs “The Wizard and I,” “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.”