The director of Wicked explained the reason for the reshoots: Why the ending of the film was changed.

The director explained the reasons for the reshoots of the new installment 'Wicked'

According to The Sun: The director of the film 'Wicked', John M. Chu, commented on why Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were invited to London for reshoots. They were brought back for additional work because the ending of the second film 'Wicked: For Good', which comes out next month, 'didn't work'.

The stars of 'Wicked', Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, with director John M. Chugetty

The studio aimed to capture grand shots of Oz while Glinda and Elphaba sing the title song 'For Good', but John chose a more intimate ending.

During an appearance at the BFI in London, he remarked:

“This is the end of the entire saga, everything needs to be made grand.”

John added:

“We had cranes. They wanted all these big shots around the set, and then to switch to them when they sang, but that never felt right.”

He also shared:

“We had a cut where all the big shots... We had it for seven months, but it never felt right.”

The director emphasized that

“Ari and Cynthia were not just singing to perform but to communicate with each other.”

He noted:

“Let the filmmakers not disturb them, let them lead.”

In his view, it was

“the truest, most emotional version, but we need to relieve the burden of performance for the people.”

He added:

“We are sure that the audience will love the girls; we love them, too.”

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The decision regarding the reshoots highlights the director's commitment to creating a high-quality ending that satisfies the audience. John M. Chu assures that the new way of ending is not only emotionally intense but also in line with the film's artistic concept. We look forward to the premiere of 'Wicked: For Good', which is set to be a significant event in the film world.