Lady Gaga and Shawn Mendes were considered for roles in "Wicked" before casting changes
The movie adaptation of "Wicked" is set to release on November 22, featuring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Early reviews have been positive, with speculation about potential Oscar nominations for Grande. Lady Gaga was initially considered for the role of Elphaba, and Shawn Mendes was rumored for Fiyero. Their involvement was linked to former director Stephen Daldry, who left the project in 2020 due to scheduling conflicts. After Daldry's departure, Jon M. Chu took over as director and made new casting decisions. Despite the changes, the current cast is expected to deliver strong performances.