“Depraved” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo traveled (by bubble, we assume) to Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual conference for movie theater owners.
Dressed in their characters’ signature pink and inexperienced aesthetic, the Grammy-nominated artists took the stage at Caesars Palace to liven up “Depraved,” the sweeping musical film set to be released in theaters on Thanksgiving.
“Each of us felt an incredible responsibility to honor these women and shed our hearts, our souls, our tears — so many different pairs of eyelashes,” said Grande, who asked to go guns blazing with her co-star on stage. Erivo added, “I’m actually grateful for this journey we’ve collectively been on.”
Although they didn’t sing (to the frustration of many in the room), they did release an extended featurette. The stunning footage showed off the expansive, brightly lit world and includes scenes of Elphaba wandering the halls of Shiz University before meeting her new roommate, Glinda. Scored for “Standard” and “Defying Gravity,” the trailer shows Elphaba getting her sharp black witch hat and available for her powers. These magical abilities put her on the Wizard’s radar and brought the pair to the glittering Emerald City.
During the CinemaCon presentation, Common confirmed that Peter Dinklage will voice beloved Shiz College professor Dr.
A prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” “Depraved” recounts everything that happened before (and some things that happened after) Dorothy strolled down that iconic yellow brick road. Like the massively popular Broadway show, it tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Elphaba de Erivo, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda de Grande, also called the Good Witch. “Depraved” has some of musical theater’s most beloved songs, like “Defying Gravity,” “Standard” and “For Good” — all of which Grande and Erivo chose to sing live on set rather than rely on pre-recorded tracks. .
Common President and CEO Donna Langley launched the film, which capped off the studio’s nearly two-hour presentation. “The world has enjoyed and celebrated this musical for over 20 years,” she said. “It’s proof that our future is limitless and the Wizard will see you now.”
Common is clearly betting big on “Depraved,” devoting nearly half an hour to pumping up the group for the mega-budgeted musical and featuring stars like Jeff Goldblum (who plays the Wizard), Jonathan Bailey (because of charming love interest Fiyero), Michelle Yeoh (as Shiz College principal, Madame Morrible). Also present was producer Marc Platt, who had a huge influence on turning the Broadway show into a perennial hit.
Jon M. Chu is directing the two-part epic, with the first installment set to hit theaters on November 27 and the second to debut on December 25, 2025. Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics for the show’s Broadway, is adapting the script with Winnie Holzman. Chu became visibly emotional before introducing his main girls, choking back tears when Platt touched his shoulder.
“We dreamed really, really, really big about ‘Depraved,’” Chu said from the stage. “We needed to honor the supply materials. But we also wanted to create a new world of our own – a magical land filled with sights and sounds that can surprise.”
Regular also teased “Depraved” ahead of its CinemaCon performance, showing off costumes including Glinda’s red dress and Elphaba’s all-black ensemble in the foyer of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and inserting white tulips into the cup holders at each seat. Attendees also received illuminated badges adorned with the film’s official poster. Both flowers and strings lit up the massive auditorium, synchronized with the enduring opening of “Depraved.”
Common’s president of domestic distribution, Jim Orr, made a promise to the exhibitor room: “This holiday season, we intend to showcase your green theaters in every sense of the phrase. You bought this, right? he cracked. “You are depraved good.”
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