Stars of the much-anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good graced their very own yellow brick road on Monday as they attended the glitzy UK premiere in London.
The film, set for release on November 21, is the conclusion of the beloved tale of famous two witches of Oz, and is based on the hugely successful musical, which first premiered in 2003.
As ever, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo took centre stage, with their outfits a stark contrast to the pink and green looks they’d worn to promote the first film last year.
Touching on the film’s darker tone, the duo opted for sultry dark outfits, with Ariana opting for a dazzling black gown adorned with glittering sequins.
Meanwhile Cynthia was dressed in an edgy navy blue gown with PVC leather detailing, with a belted waist and a bustier neckline.
While may die-hard Wicked fans were in attendance at the premiere, star Michelle Yeoh was among the early arrivals.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo swapped their trademark pink and green looks for dark sultry gowns as they attended the UK premiere of Wicked: For Good on Monday
The pair brushed off recent backlash from fans who mocked an ‘annoying’ red carpet exchange between them
Touching on the film’s darker tone, the duo opted for sultry dark outfits, with Ariana opting for a dazzling black gown adorned with glittering sequins
The actress, who plays the villain Madame Morrible, exuded elegance in a black satin gown with an eye-catching lace detailing.
Ariana’s boyfriend Ethan Slater was also among the the early arrivals on the red carpet, though he did not pose for snaps with her, following rumours that they were heading for a split.
It comes after Ariana and Cynthia were teased by fans after creating another viral moment during their ongoing Wicked press tour.
During the Wicked: For Good premiere in Paris on Friday, the duo were asked to describe each other’s ‘auras’ by an Elle magazine journalist.
Ariana said Cynthia’s was ‘yellow,’ like ‘sunshine.’ She added, ‘I think there’s also purple.’
Cynthia then said about Ariana: ‘I see, like a ciel blue, you know? Like aqua. And like, sunset-orange.’
The co-stars-turned-friends are in the throes of promoting the follow-up to last year’s Wicked. And the pair are once again generating buzz for their emphatic, effervescent chemistry during interviews.
Following the red carpet moment, one person wrote on Reddit, ‘I can’t go through this again,’ in reference to the movie stars’ previous ‘cringeworthy’ press run moments last year.
Meanwhile Cynthia was dressed in an edgy navy blue gown with PVC leather detailing, with a belted waist and a bustier neckline
As ever, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo took centre stage, with their outfits a stark contrast to the pink and green looks they’d worn to promote the first film last year
It comes after Ariana and Cynthia were teased by fans after creating another viral moment during their ongoing Wicked press tour
During the Wicked: For Good premiere in Paris on Friday, the duo were asked to describe each other’s ‘auras’, with one fan referencing their bizarre exchanges during last year’s press run
After recently returning to her natural brunette look, Ariana swept her tresses into a high bun as she blew kisses to the fans at the premiere
Cynthia has once again reprised her role as the famous Wicked Witch of the West Elphaba, who was exiled from Oz at the end of the first film
Wicked: For Good is directed by award-winning Jon M Chu, who was also behind the 2024 film
The first movie was a box office success and raked in around $747.2 million on a budget of $150 million
Fans queued for hours in the capital in a bid to land a spot alongside the red carpet, and Cynthia posed for snaps alongside some in attendance
Joined by the film’s director Jon M Chu, Ariana and Cynthia showed off their glamorous gowns as they arrived for the premiere
Wicked also received critical praise and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won two in March this year during the glitzy ceremony
Ariana and Cynthia’s looks were a stark contrast to the colourful outfits they’d worn to promote the first film
Ariana’s gown boasted a dramatic bow shouldered detailing and a voluminous skirt
After being crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive, Jonathan Bailey was in high spirits as he arrived for the premiere
The Bridgerton star, who plays the Prince Fiyero in the Wicked Films, opted for an all-grey look
While may die-hard Wicked fans were in attendance at the premiere, star Michelle Yeoh was among the early arrivals
The actress, who plays the villain Madame Morrible, exuded elegance in a black satin gown with an eye-catching lace detailing
The Oscar winner was joined by her husband Jean Todt, as they posed on a recreation of Oz’s famous yellow brick road
Ever the gentleman, Jean offered a helping hand for Michelle as she made her way along the yellow brick road to pose for photos
Michelle and Ariana enjoyed a sweet moment together as they reunited at the premiere
Jeff Goldblum, who stars as the famous Wizard of Oz, was in high spirits as he attended the premiere after a string of promotional appearance
The Jurassic Park star was joined by his wife Emilie Livingston, who stunned in a stylish black dress with a lace trim
Marissa Bode, who stars as Elphaba’s sister Nessrose, offered a glimpse at her own character’s darker turn in the upcoming film with her beaded gown
Ariana’s boyfriend Ethan Slater was also among the the early arrivals on the red carpet, though he did not pose for snaps with her, following rumours that they were heading for a split
Referencing one viral clip from last year, another Redditor added, ‘We’re all holding space for them. Did I say that right?’
And one person observed, ‘It seems like they’ve toned it down compared to last year, and wisely so.
‘I’m sure another full court press like they did last year would’ve annoyed everyone and possibly turned some people off from seeing the new movie.’
There was also someone who inserted, ‘They’re sweet and all but this annoys tf out of me.’
Contrarily, another social media user added to the thread, ‘They r so funny honestly.’
It prompted someone else to share, ‘I died laughing when Cynthia said “ciel blue.”‘
‘Lmao they are SO annoying… and I love it. It’s not harming anyone, so it’s just funny to me,’ wrote No_Barracuda8791.
In the minute-long clip, originally posted by Elle Germany on YouTube, the silver screen sensations gushed over the interviewer’s question.
‘We’ve never been asked that,’ Ariana said first before Cynthia echoed the sentence with emphasis and added, ‘That’s a great question to ask!’
One of last year’s most memorable interview highlights with Ariana and Cynthia was when the Positions hitmaker clasped her co-star’s index finger — adorned with an ornately manicured green nail — during an emotional moment.
During a sit-down, journalist Tracy E Gilchrist told Cynthia that she had seen people online discussing the ‘lyrics of Defying Gravity,’ the stirring ballad her character sings in the film, and ‘feeling power’ from it.
Cynthia was visibly moved by the revelation, as she replied, ‘I didn’t know that was happening. That’s really powerful. That’s what I wanted.’
Wicked: For Good is set to hit cinemas on November 21 (Ariana and Cynthia are pictured as Glinda and Elphaba in the film)
Ashley Roberts was also among the glamorous names who attended the premiere, and she opted for a racy pale blue dress with daring cut-outs
The Pussycat Dolls star left little to the imagination in her revealing look, which showed off every inch of her incredible figure
Ashley’s daring dress showed off her toned pins as she posed for snaps on the yellow carpet
Amanda Holden took inspiration from Glinda’s iconic pink wardrobe as she opted for a stunning pale pink gown with ruched detailing
The Britain’s Got Talent star was joined by her youngest daughter Hollie, who opted for a green satin dress
Amanda showed off her incredible figure in her stunning pale pink gown with a dramatic train
Amanda and Hollie looked excited to be at the premiere
The presenter sported a bronzed tan and accessorised with silver jewellery which matched her heels
Roxy Horner vamped it up in a form-fitting black strapless gown, accessorising with a gold beaded clutch bag
The model put on a classy display in her dress, which boasted a fitted bodice and voluminous flowing skirt
Myleene Klass dazzled in a neon green dress adorned with sequins and sparkly silver detailing, and offered her own nod to the Wizard of Oz tale with ruby red heels
Louise Redknapp flaunted her figure in a ruched grown dress with a midi skirt and long sleeves, teamed with matching accessories
The Eternal star posed up a storm in her stylish dress
Jonathan Ross and his daughter Honey enjoyed a family night out at the premiere, after the presenter’s appearance in Celebrity Traitors
Jess Wright commanded attention in a dramatic cream gown with gold leaf embroidery
The former TOWIE star was a vision in her fun gold dress, teamed with quirky matching heels
Dani Dyer opted for a Glinda-inspired look as she attended the premiere in a glitzy pale pink with diamante detailing
The former Love Island star was joined by her sister Sunnie, who was dressed in a fun sparkly green mini dress
Strictly star Amber Davies put on a leggy display in a dramatic pale yellow ruffled mini dress
The West End star has been impressing with her moves on the Strictly dancefloor, after joining the lineup as a last-minute addition in September
Following speculation about her chemistry with professional partner Nikita Kuzmin, Amber was joined by her boyfriend Ben Joyce at the premiere
Strictly pro Nadiya Bychkova set pulses racing in an incredibly revealing sheer blue gown with a fishtail skirt
The dancer was joined by former Strictly star Alexandra Burke, who showed off her ample cleavage in a fitted grey dress
Alexandra put on a stylish display in her vintage-inspired grey gown with black leather gloves and matching heels
Kimberley Walsh commanded attention in a glitzy green gown adorned with sequins and a daring thigh-high split
She was joined by her Girls Aloud bandmate Nicola Roberts, who cut a chic figure in all-black
Munroe Bergdorf commanded attention into a look fit for the Emerald City, as she arrived for the premiere in a deep green PVC gown with a daring thigh-high split
Tasha Ghouri posed up a storm in a black semi-sheer gown with a corset body and delicate floral embroidery
Scarlett Moffatt channelled her inner Glinda as she arrived for the premiere in a pale pink dress covered in gold sequins
Beverley Knight cut a glamorous figure in a fun black and grey gown
Social media star Hannah Lowther wowed in a voluminous pink ruffled mini dress
Actress Bel Priestley stunned in a plunging olive green gown
Ariana’s brother Frankie and her parents Joan and Edward Butera were also at the premiere to support her, after she earned critical acclaim for her role as Glinda in the first film
Frankie posed up a storm in an all-leather outfit, as he playfully blew a kiss for the cameras
Clara Amfo was among the first stars to arrive for the premiere, posing in a form-fitting black gown with a feathered trim
Love Island winner Cacharel Mercer showed off his edgy sense of style in a metallic silver look
As she spoke, Ariana, who also got choked up over the comment, reached over and grabbed her costar’s pointer finger in what appeared to be a display of support — and many people poked fun at the exchange on the internet.
‘What was this?’ one person wrote on X alongside a screenshot of Ariana’s hand wrapped around Cynthia’s finger.
‘Is this a sketch comedy show or something?’ asked someone else.
Ahead of its release on November 21, the film’s final trailer showed the consequences of the first instalment as Elphaba lives in exile.
There, she is continuing her fight for freedom while the silenced animals of Oz are desperate to expose the truth of The Wizard, who is played by Jeff Goldblum.
In a defiant message, the witch can be seen spelling out in the clouds floating above Oz: ‘Our Wizard lies.’
Meanwhile, Glinda has become the symbol of goodness in Oz, living in a breathtaking palace in the Emerald City, and is also preparing to marry Jonathan Bailey’s character Prince Fiyero.
In the teaser, fans saw the people of Oz hunt for Elphaba, with one carrying a bucket of liquid which reads: ‘Melt her.’
Posters erected around Oz warn of her, with one showing her claws out as it read: ‘Beware of the Wicked Witch’.
Glinda and Elphaba also shared a tense shutdown as Grande’s character attempts to fight back as the witch told her she has ‘no real power’.
However, by the end of the trailer, a glimmer of their friendship could be seen, with Glinda tearfully telling her: ‘Think of what we could do together’.
Fans were also treated to a first look of Dorothy’s arrival in Oz, alongside the Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and the Scarecrow.
Wicked: For Good is directed by award-winning Jon M Chu, who was also behind the 2024 film.
The first movie was a box office success and raked in around $747.2 million on a budget of $150 million.
Wicked also received critical praise and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won two in March this year during the glitzy ceremony.