Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Among ‘Wicked’ Cast Set for NBC Special

NBC has set an hourlong special ahead of next month’s theatrical release of John M. Chu’s highly anticipated feature adaptation Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

In celebration of the Universal pic based on the Broadway musical, Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked will air Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10 p.m. on NBC, three days before the film’s worldwide release. Peacock will stream the special on Nov. 20. Wicked arrives in theaters Nov. 22.

Filmed on the movie’s Emerald City set, stars Grande, Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode will share personal memories, video diaries and revealing secrets about their personal journeys through the making of the Universal Pictures film. 

The special also will include exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the cast, unique details and stories from their time on set together, and never-before-seen footage, according to NBC.

Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked is produced by Monkey, a part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group. It is executive produced by Rob Bagshaw and Andy Charles Smith for Monkey. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution is handling international sales.