This article includes discussions of disability and ableism.
Spoilers for Wicked (2024) and Wicked: Part 2 (2025) are ahead!Based on hints from director Jon M. Chu,Wicked: Part 2could include a fan-favorite secret song from the Broadway musical. Since its release,Wicked: Part 1has become a global sensation, breaking multiple box office records and being dubbed one of the best Broadway musical adaptations ever to hit the big screen. Thetwo-partWickedmovietells the story of how a young girl named Elphaba grows to become Oz’s public enemy number one, The Wicked Witch of the West, and her subsequent downfall.
Anyone who has seenThe Wizard of Ozwill have a general idea of what’s to come in the second half, since the two stories overlap. However, the movie relies more heavily on theWickedmusical, which first hit the stage in 2003. There are many excitingmoments from the Broadway musical to look forward to inWicked: Part 2, but one of the most anticipated songs won’t be familiar to people who haven’t seen the stage show.
Jon M. Chu Thinks Fans Deserve An Official Version Of “The Wicked Witch of the East”
Chu’s Statements Hint The Song Could Appear In Wicked: Part 2
During Act 2 of Wicked, Elphaba goes to the governor’s office hoping to get her father’s help in going up against the Wizard, but she finds her sister has taken over the role after her father’s death. What follows is a song titled “Wicked Witch of the East,” where Nessa gets angry at Elphaba for never helping her gain the ability to walk and punishes Boq for wanting to leave her for Glinda. The song has a passionate fanbase among people who love the Wicked musical, but there is no official recording, as it doesn’t appear on theWickedOBC album.
Wicked Ending Explained & How It Sets Up Wicked Part 2
Wicked: Part 1 builds up Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship, leading to a tense ending in The Emerald City that sets the foundation for Wicked: Part 2.
The only accessible versions are from less-than-legal recordings of the musical and song on YouTube with questionable quality. As such, people familiar with just the official Wicked Broadway soundtrack may not even know that it exists. Luckily for both groups,Jon M. Chu hinted in an interview withCinemaBlendthat Wicked: Part 2 might finally provide an official recording of the song for fans to enjoy. He told interviewers this:
I don’t know what I’m allowed to say or not say at this point, because it’s still pretty early. But I will say, it’s a great number. And, I think it’s due time that people do get it, so they can hear it over and over and over again.
Chu obviously can’t promise the song without providing spoilers. After all, there’s still a year-long wait before Wicked: Part 2 comes out. However, his statement shows appreciation for “Wicked Witch of the East” and an understanding of how much fans love the secret song. This is likely as close to a guarantee as fans will get regarding Nessarose’s song appearing in the movie adaptation.
Why “The Wicked Witch of the East” Wasn’t Included In The Original Broadway Soundtrack
The Secret Wicked Song Includes Major Spoilers For The Musical
The exclusion of “The Wicked Witch of the East” from the original Broadway soundtrack is a shame because it’s a fantastic song with narrative significance that’s made better by Michelle Federer’s powerful vocals. Because the Broadway musical came out back in 2003, it’s challenging to find an official statement about why the song was left off. However,the Wicked lore states that the producers thought the song included too many major spoilers for people who hadn’t seen the stage show.This explanation makes a lot of sense when breaking down the scene.
It’s difficult to provide even the slightest description of the song without spoiling significant aspects of the Wicked: Part 2 story.
It’s difficult to provide even the slightest description of the song without spoiling significant aspects of theWicked: Part 2 story. The start of this song reveals that Elphaba’s father is dead, Nessa is a dictatorial governor, and she harbors a grudge against her sister. Halfway through the song, Elphaba enchants Nessa’s silver slippers, giving them the magic that ultimately allows Dorothy to travel home. Then, the ending of “Wicked Witch of the East” includesBoq becoming The Tin Man in Wicked, which is probably the most significant spoiler throughout this scene.
Marissa Bode’s Version Of The Song In Wicked Part 2 Could Be Different Than The Original
The Wicked: Part 2 Scene Will Fix The Ableism
Even though “The Wicked Witch of the East” is a great song, the first verse and the dialogue in the surrounding scene have ableist connotations. The first half of the song makes it seem like Nessarose’s disability needs to be fixed for her to be happy.Marissa Bode toldPEOPLEthat this would be handled differently, focusing on magic instead of “fixing” the disability.It’s unclear how they will handle Nessarose gaining the ability to walk since Marissa Bode is paralyzed from the waist down.
It’s possible they will change the scene to include knee-ankle-foot orthosis (commonly called leg braces) and crutches. They also might not have the character walk but fly instead. Both these explanations are simply speculation, though, as everyone has remained tight-lipped about the direction the movie’s going.
No matter how they handle it, it’s important that the creative team for listens to disability advocates, Marissa Bode, and disabled people when figuring out the right way to handle this storyline without completely changing pivotal moments ofWicked. At the very least, some of the lyrics in the first verse might be rephrased to sound less like Nessarose is helpless because she’s a wheelchair user.
