Will original Glinda Kristin Chenoweth appear in the new Wicked movie?

Wicked, based on the book of the same name by Gregory Maguire, is one of the biggest musical hits of the past 20 years. Imagining the story of The Wizard of Oz told from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West, the show was an immediate smash, with Idina Menzel as the Wicked Witch, aka Elphaba, and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.

This year, the show is finally being turned into a movie, with Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. And we're not getting hints that Kristin Chenoweth, at least, might make a cameo, possibly as Glinda's mother.

How did this rumor start? It wasn't a paparazzi pic, athough according to Grande photogs have tried to snap images of the set using hang gliders. If they're going to those extremes, I personally think they've earned their scoop. But the Chenoweth rumor was Universal's own doing. Fans claim to spot her around the 1:53 mark in this behind-the-scenes featurette; take a look at the image below and decide if you buy it:

It's not hard to believe that Wicked director John Chu might want to carve out a little space for the woman who originated the role of Glinda. And if that is Chenoweth, I wouldn't be surprised if Idina Menzel, who went on to voice Elsa in the Frozen movies, pops up as well.

Speaking of Chu, he talked to Empire about what fans can expect from the new movie. "In those first 60 seconds, you're going to experience Oz in a totally new, more raw way," he teased. "You'll see the 9 million tulips that we really planted."

The musical opens right after Dorothy has killed the Wicked Witch of the West. Then it goes back in time to show us how it all began. "The stage show opens almost dystopian, but I always thought that it's a celebration that she's dead, so this should be a happy occasion," Chu said. "It begins a little more joyous than the show, but then quickly takes a turn and gets darker."

Wicked will come out in theaters on November 22. Unfortunately, it will only adapt half of the stage show. Wicked: Part 2 will bring the story to a close a year later on November 26, 2025.

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