“Wicked” Earns 10 Oscar Nominations, Including Best Picture

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Universal‘s film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Wicked” scored 10 nominations for the 97th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, announced Thursday morning. The nominations highlight the film’s technical achievements and performances, solidifying its place as a major contender in this year’s awards season.

The musical fantasy, which has grossed $709 million globally since its Thanksgiving release, earned nods in categories such as production design, sound, visual effects, costume design, editing, and makeup and hairstyling. It also received a nomination for Best Original Score, despite being ineligible for Best Original Song due to its use of songs from the original stage production.

Actress Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role, while Ariana Grande, portraying Glinda/Galinda, earned a nomination for Best Supporting Actress. The film’s director, Jon M. Chu, and its writers, however, were notably absent from the directing and screenplay categories.

“Wicked” is the latest in a line of successful Broadway-to-film adaptations, following in the footsteps of 2002’s “Chicago.” The movie, based on Gregory Maguire‘s 1995 novel and the 2003 stage musical, explores the untold story of the witches of Oz. The second installment, “Wicked: For Good,” is set to release on Nov. 21, 2025.

The nominations were announced by Rachel Sennott and Bowen Yang, the latter of whom is part of the “Wicked” cast. The 97th Academy Awards will air live on ABC on March 2, hosted by Conan O'Brien from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.