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Twenty-six years ago, DreamWorks released the starry animated musical “The Prince of Egypt,” which chronicles the life of biblical figure Moses, to both critical and commercial success. The film, featuring music by eventual “Wicked” composer Stephen Schwartz and the voices of Val Kilmer and Ralph Fiennes, is widely regarded as a masterpiece — yet the biblical animated film genre was seemingly abandoned after the turn of the millennium.

Enter “The King of Kings,” Angel Studios’ effort to revive the faith-based children’s movie in theaters. The film, which stars Oscar Isaac as Jesus, Pierce Brosnan as Pontius Pilate, Mark Hamill as King Herod, Forest Whitaker as Peter and Ben Kingsley as High Priest Caiaphas, is cleverly framed as famed author Charles Dickens (Kenneth Branagh) and his wife Catherine (Uma Thurman) seek to teach their King Arthur-obsessed son Walter (Roman Griffin Davis) about the greatest king of all.

Loosely based on...

Judy Garland‘s daughter, Lorna Luft, is opening up about Wicked.

The 72-year-old actress and singer says her late mother “would’ve loved” the movie in an interview with People.

“She would’ve loved it [Wicked],” she said while attending the opening night of Stephen Sondheim‘s Old Friends on Broadway on Tuesday (April 8).

Keep reading to find out more…

When asked what songs Judy might love from the project, she said: “I have no idea. But she would’ve loved it.”

“I think it’s just an honor to be here,” she added of being at the Old Friends premiere. “And Stephen Sondheim is a treasure, a national treasure to all of us.”

Judy passed away in 1969, and starred as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 adaptation of L. Frank Baum‘s The Wizard of Oz.

Wicked is based on Stephen Schwartz‘s Broadway musical of the same name, based on Gregory Maguire‘s novel.

When it comes to the world of animation, Hollywood has reached new heights with projects such as The Wild Robot, Kung Fu Panda, and Despicable Me, to name a few. But long before in the ’90s, there was one movie featuring the voice of actress Sandra Bullock and Val Kilmer that quietly became a masterpiece – that not a lot of people often talk about.

It was not the usual story about fairy tales, but it was a detailed, deep, emotional story with powerful themes. Apart from the actors, even the iconic Steven Spielberg played a major role in making this movie happen.

A still from The Prince of Egypt | Credits: DreamWorks

The movie in question was The Prince of Egypt, and despite his involvement, Spielberg never got his due credit.

Steven Spielberg was the genius behind The Prince of Egypt

The Prince of Egypt truly changed the animation landscape when...

The magical world of Oz returned to the big screen in a big way at this year’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande gave fans and theater owners the first sneak peek at Wicked: For Good, the sequel to last year’s hit musical film Wicked.

The new movie continues the story of Elphaba and Glinda, the two witches whose friendship and struggles are at the heart of the Wicked tale. This time, Elphaba is on the run, labeled a criminal by the Wizard, while Glinda is caught in the middle, unsure of where her loyalties lie.

The trailer showed Elphaba mastering her powers from the magical book known as the Grimmerie. She’s now a fugitive, while the Wizard (played by Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) tighten their grip on Oz. “Elphaba, they’re coming for you,” Glinda warns in a tense moment.

Filmmaker Jon M. Chu bewitched thousands of theater owners in Las Vegas Tuesday when sharing footage of Universal’s highly anticipated Wicked: For Good, the second title in his two-part on-screen adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical.

And of course, the presentation wouldn’t have been complete without assistance from stars Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda the Good Witch, and Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West. They took the stage with Chu and producer Marc Platt inside the cavernous Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace, where exhibitors are spending this week watching Hollywood studios present their upcoming slates.

“We took a shot, and we divided Wicked into two parts,” Platt said. “Now we have the privilege of doing it all again with Wicked: For Good in November.”

Erivo noted of last year’s hit film, “I may have snuck into a sing-along or two.” She added,...

Universal closed out its CinemaCon presentation Wednesday with an emotional first look at Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: For Good, the second part of his Oscar-winning musical fantasy. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were onstage with Chu and producer Marc Platt.

No musical performances ala Erivo and Grande’s at the Oscars, but the trailer shown to theater owners inside the room was epic enough. And they went nuts for it.

Wicked: For Good will continue the story of Grande’s Glinda and Erivo’s Wicked Witch of the West, formerly known as Elphaba. It hits theaters domestically November 21.

“Elphaba, I know you’re out there,” says Galinda in a voice-over. We see the pink witch emerging from her emerald castle. Elphaba drops on the balcony. “This is about the Wizard and I,” the green witch exclaims. We see Galinda putting the big tiara on. Prince Fiyero and his men...

Oh, what a celebration Wicked fans will have today, as the first look at the Wicked: For Good poster has been spotted at CinemaCon.

The second installment in Jon M. Chu’s big screen adaptation of the award-winning Broadway musical is slated to arrive in theaters in November. In the poster, the two witches from Oz, Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda (formerly known as Galinda), stand atop their own cliff’s edge. The yellow brick road and the wizard’s palace in Oz, the setting for part one’s grand “Defying Gravity” finale, separates them in the middle.

Erivo’s Elphaba looks right at home in her full “wicked witch” glory, while Grande’s Glinda resembles the Glinda the Good fans of The Wizard of Oz are used to. The poster’s tagline, “You will be changed,” is a reference to the iconic duet from...

Making big-budget blockbusters can be an isolating process, especially if you're a performer used to working with other actors and physical sets who is, all of a sudden, confined to a recording booth or something similar. This is what Peter Dinklage experienced when he worked on "Wicked," Jon M. Chu's massively successful (and Oscar-winning) adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's long-running Broadway musical. In the film, Emmy-winner Dinklage plays Doctor Dillamond, a talking goat who teaches at Shiz University and earns the affection of the young green-skinned witch Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), but according to an interview Dinklage had with Cinema Express in November 2024, he didn't totally love the experience, because he was not physically on set.

"It was a bit of a lonely process, recording in a sound booth apart from the rest of the cast, but it's such an honour to be part of something...

Gold Derby's top news stories for March 10, 2025

Billy Joel postpones tour dates after surgery

Billy Joel has postponed eight stadium concerts he was scheduled to perform over the next four months because of a recent surgery for an undisclosed "medical condition."

An announcement this morning said that the singer “is expected to make a full recovery” and will undergo doctor-supervised physical therapy. “While I regret postponing any shows, my health must come first,” Joel said in the statement. “I look forward to getting back on stage and sharing the joy of live music with our amazing fans. Thank you for your understanding.” Joel is expected to resume playing concerts July 5 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. The postponed shows in Toronto, Detroit, Syracuse, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Edinburgh, and Liverpool will be rescheduled.

Netflix strikes movie deal for Stephen King's Cujo remake

Netflix is ready to take a new bite at Stephen King's Cujo.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame will recognize Stephen Schwartz — the arranger and composer behind the music from “Wicked,” “Godspell” and “Pippin” — as the recipient of the 2025 Johnny Mercer Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala, slated for June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

The Johnny Mercer Award is the most prestigious honor bestowed by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, is exclusively reserved for a songwriter or songwriting team who has already been inducted in a prior year and whose body of work is of “such high quality and impact that it upholds the gold standard set by the legendary Johnny Mercer,” per the Shof. Schwartz was first inducted into the Hall in 2009.

“With every lyric and melody, Stephen invites us on an unforgettable journey,” said Shof Chairman Nile Rodgers. “From his iconic list of award-winning musicals, including ‘Godspell’, ‘Wicked’ and ‘Pippin,’ Stephen...

Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth has signed with UTA for representation in all areas, the agency announced on Tuesday.

Chenoweth is a celebrated figure in the entertainment industry whose career has spanned across film, television, voice-over, music, and theatre. Widely known for her Tony-nominated performance as the original Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked,” Chenoweth has earned numerous awards for her work in the theatre, including a Tony Award for her role in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and earning both an Outer Critics Choice Award and Drama Desk Award for her starring role in “On the Twentieth Century.”

Set to make its Broadway debut in the 2025-2026 season, “The Queen of Versailles” is the musical based on the award-winning 2012 documentary ”The Queen of Versailles” based on the life of beauty queen, socialite, and TV personality Jacqueline “Jackie” Siegel. Chenoweth is starring in and producing...

Kristin Chenoweth is officially returning to Broadway this year!

The Tony-winning actress will be teaming up with Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz again to star in his new musical The Queen of Versailles, which will open in Fall 2025 at the St. James Theatre in New York City.

Kristin previously led a record-breaking world premiere production of the musical in summer 2024 at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre.

“I’m beyond excited to return to Broadway and also make my Broadway producing debut with this incredible company,” Kristin said in a statement. “Stephen is a once in a generation songwriter and I’m so lucky we are able to reunite for this original musical, under the direction of the iconic Michael Arden to bring Lindsey Ferrentino’s captivating story to life.”

Keep reading to find out more…

The musical will begin performances on October 8, 2025 ahead of a red carpet celebration on Sunday, November...

Update, with venue, dates: Producers Bill Damaschke, Seaview, Sonia Friedman, and Kristin Chenoweth announced that The Queen of Versailles will play this fall at the St. James Theatre, beginning performances on October 8, with an official press opening on Monday, November 10.

This project reunites Chenoweth with songwriter Stephen Schwartz on Broadway for the first time since Wicked premiered in 2003. Prior to arriving on Broadway, The Queen of Versailles had a box office record-breaking world premiere at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre in the summer of 2024.

“I’m beyond excited to return to Broadway and also make my Broadway producing debut with this incredible company,” said Kristin Chenoweth. “Stephen is a once in a generation songwriter and I’m so lucky we are able to reunite for this original musical, under the direction of the iconic Michael Arden to bring Lindsey Ferrentino’s captivating story to life.”

July 29, 2024: The Queen of...

The Queen of Versailles musical, starring Kristin Chenoweth, will play the St. James Theatre this fall.

The show, based on TV personality Jacqueline “Jackie” Siegel, also stars F. Murray Abraham and features a score by Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz. The musical will start performances at the St. James on Oct. 8, with a red carpet event Nov. 9 and a press opening Nov. 10.

The book for the musical is written by Lindsey Ferrentino (Amy and the Orphans). Michael Arden (Parade) directs and Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant (Parade) are the choreographers.

The Queen of Versailles is produced by Bill Damaschke, Seaview, Sonia Friedman and Chenoweth. The show comes to Broadway after a run at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theatre

“I’m beyond excited to return to Broadway and also make my Broadway producing debut with this incredible company,” Chenoweth said. “Stephen is a once-in-a-generation songwriter and I’m so lucky we...

Quick LinksWhat Is The Hunchback of Notre Dame Based On?Disney Simplifies The Hunchback of Notre Dame but Keeps the Story's HeartThe Biggest Differences Between Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Original Book

Disney has been adapting famous fairy tales into beloved animated films for decades, but not all its movies are based on children's stories. One notable exception is 1996's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which follows the Gothic cathedral's fictional bellringer, Quasimodo. While not as highly praised as some of the studio's other films from this era, it was still applauded for its emotional music, beautiful animation and handling of mature themes within a family-friendly context. Nearly 30 years later, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is still considered one of Disney's darkest movies, but it pales in comparison to its source material.

Unlike other Disney animated movies that are based on children's stories, The Hunchback of Notre Dame...

Wicked Box Office: Set To Release In Japan(Photo Credit – Instagram)

Oscar-winning musical fantasy Wicked is still running at the box office and is set to be released in Japan. The movie will potentially see a boost in box office performance after its Oscar wins, and it might even help the film earn record numbers in Japan. There is a chance it might surpass the worldwide haul of Keanu Reeves’s starrer The Matrix Reloaded. Scroll below for the deets.

The movie was released around Thanksgiving and registered several box office records. It was directed by Jon M Chu, adapting the first act of the 2003 stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman. The film featured Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. Made on a budget of $150 million, it is the fifth highest-grossing film of last year.

For the uninitiated,...

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo performed a musical medley to open the 2025 Oscars, featuring songs from Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, and The Wiz.

To open the performance, Grande took the stage for a passionate rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. Then, she ceded the stage to Erivo, who dazzled while singing “Home” from the 1978 musical The Wiz. To close it out, Grande returned for “Defying Gravity.”

It’s worth noting that none of the songs from Wicked were eligible for the Best Original Song category. This was due to the Academy’s definition of an original song, which stipulates that it must be “written specifically for the motion picture.” Since the filmmakers opted to keep the soundtrack faithful to the 2003 musical,

However, Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation still received 10 total nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Erivo, and Best Supporting Actress for Grande.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo performed a musical medley to open the 2025 Oscars, featuring songs from Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, and The Wiz.

To open the performance, Grande took the stage for a passionate rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. Then, she ceded the stage to Erivo, who dazzled while singing “Home” from the 1978 musical The Wiz. To close it out, Grande returned for “Defying Gravity.”

It’s worth noting that none of the songs from Wicked were eligible for the Best Original Song category. This was due to the Academy’s definition of an original song, which stipulates that it must be “written specifically for the motion picture.” Since the filmmakers opted to keep the soundtrack faithful to the 2003 musical,

However, Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation still received 10 total nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Erivo, and Best Supporting Actress for Grande.

No one mourns the Wicked awards season campaign. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo opened the 2025 Academy Awards on Sunday evening with a medley highlighting musical selections from their performances as Glinda and Elphaba.

The two actresses paid tribute to the Oz cinematic universe, performing songs from both The Wizard of Oz and The Wiz. Emerging on stage in a shimmering, ruby red dress, Grande opened the set with a moving rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” with Erivo following up with “Home” by Diana Ross. Together they belted out Defying Gravity.

Anora was the big winner at the 2025 Academy awards, taking home Oscars for best picture, best director for Sean Baker and best actress for Mikey Madison.

The Brutalist star Adrien Brody picked up best actor, with the film also winning for cinematography and original score.

As expected, Zoe Saldana and Kieran Culkin won the supporting actor prizes for Emilia Perez and A Real Pain, respectively.

The ceremony took place tonight (March 2) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O’Brien hosting for the first time.

Oscar winners 2025

Best picture

Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Dune: Part Two Emilia Pérez...

The 97th Academy Awards is taking place tonight (Sunday March 2) at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Scroll down for winners

The ceremony started at 4pm Pt/7pm Et (midnight UK time) and is set to run for around three hours (although it usually overruns).

Conan O’Brien is hosting the ceremony for the first time, with Raj Kapoor returningas executive producer and showrunner, and Katy Mullan serving as executive producer.

Screen is posting all the winners on this page as they are announced during the live ceremony. Refresh the page for latest updates.

Winners in bold, as they are announced, below...

The bumpy road to Oscar glory will reach its end Sunday night at the 97th Academy Awards, closing out one of the most unpredictable awards seasons in years. Ups and downs, twists and turns, mudslinging, mea culpas, tears both happy and sad — we’ve seen it all in recent weeks as the race kept us guessing what new upheaval might come next.

And that includes who wins tonight. “Emilia Pérez” might have the most nominations (13), but Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical lost its frontrunner status pretty much the moment star Karla Sofía-Gascón’s history of bigoted tweets resurfaced. In stepped “Anora,” which won top prizes with both the PGA and DGA and seemed ready to sail to a Best Picture victory…until “Conclave” swept in and showed us that the race was much tighter than we’d thought.

And what looked like an unobstructed path to best actress anointment for...

It’s finally time for the 97th Academy Awards, as the 2024-2025 awards season comes to a close and we hand out some Oscars. And this year, Sean Baker’s sex worker dramedy Anora ended up triumphing, winning five awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Lead Actress for Mikey Madison.

This meant that Demi Moore, long considered the favorite to win for her work in The Substance, ended up losing out. In other categories, Adrian Brody won Lead Actor for his work in Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, while Kieran Culkin picked up his expected trophy for A Real Pain and Zoe Saldaña overcame the Emilia Pérez controversy to win for Supporting Actress.

Anora also won awards for Original Screenplay and Editing, while Conclave picked up a win for Adapted Screenplay and Dune: Part Two was recognized for Sound and Visual Effects. The Brutalist also won for Cinematography and Score,...

The 2025 Oscars is about to become one of the historic nights for multiple reasons, and one of them is the wave of new talent receiving the much-deserved attention. However, the Academy has not forgotten the legends as well and has given them their due recognition.

With breakthrough roles from fresh talent to veterans creating magic yet again, the 97th Academy Awards will be setting the bar high.

Here’s a deep dive into the youngest and oldest celebrities nominated at this year’s Oscars. Without further ado, let’s get on with it.

Youngest nominees at the 2025 Oscars Timothée Chalamet Timothée Chalamet and Elle Fanning in A Complete Unknown | Credit: Searchlight Pictures

Chalamet’s work has progressively become better year after year, and there is no denying it. From a young boy with dreams to becoming one of the youngest nominees for Best Actor at the Oscars, this is truly a journey worth appreciating.

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This March, we are getting a ton of content from the much-anticipated release of the superhero action drama series Daredevil: Born Again on streaming to the release of Robert Pattinson‘s highly anticipated sci-fi dark comedy film Mickey 17. This upcoming month will see the release of many great movies, so we thought of compiling a list of all the best movies that are coming straight to streaming.

Picture This (Prime Video) Release Date: March 6 Credit – Prime Video

Picture This is an upcoming British romantic comedy film directed by Prarthana Mohan from a screenplay by Nikita Lalwani. Based on the 2024 Australian film Five Blind Dates by Shawn Seet, the Prime Video film follows Pia, a struggling photographer who is told by a spiritual guru that she will find true love and success in her career in the next five dates she goes on.

Quick LinksDisney’s Enchanted Was Originally an R-Rated ScriptDisney Originally Didn’t Want to Cast Amy Adams in EnchantedDisney’s Disenchanted Might Be Better Than the Original

When Enchanted premiered in 2007, it was a totally different climate for Disney. The animation industry was in the middle of a major change from traditional hand-drawn techniques to computer-generated imagery. DreamWorks' Shrek franchise was turning the fairy tale genre on its head to great success. And Disney chose to release their first hybrid live-action and animated film since Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1998). The film headlined some of the biggest stars of the time, including Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, and Idina Menzel and showcased a relatively green Amy Adams.

Enchanted sat in development at Disney for almost ten years. And what began as a film potentially capitalizing on modern audiences' disillusionment with fairy tales became a nod and homage to the genre. What resulted...

Updated, 1:30 Pm: Nobody does it better when it comes to movie theme songs, and the Oscars know it. Sources tell Deadline that there will be a tribute to the music of the revered 007 franchise during 97th the Academy Awards on Sunday.

Details are scarce, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will continue to honor the Bond legacy, after presenting longtime franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson with the Irving G. Thalberg Award during the 15th Governor Awards in November. The Academy on Thursday declined comment about the Bond music tribute.

Previously, February 24: Doja Cat, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Blackpink’s Lisa, Queen Latifah and Raye were revealed Monday as musical performers for this year’s 97th Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said they will participate in “showstopping performances celebrating the filmmaking community and some of its legends at the 97th Oscars.

“Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” is returning to theaters for its 20th anniversary, starting April 25. For the re-release event, graphic artist Matt Ferguson has created a new poster to celebrate the film.

The film will run in U.S. theaters and select international territories for one week, including new formats like 4Dx. “Revenge of the Sith” is the third film in the “Star Wars” prequel franchise and takes place after the Clone Wars begin. Jedi Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) gets pulled to the dark side of the Force to become Darth Vader as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Yoda (Frank Oz) are forced to go into hiding.

The cast also includes Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee, Jimmy Smits, Peter Mayhew, Ahmed Best, Oliver Ford Davies, Temuera Morrison, Anthony Daniels, Silas Carson and Kenny Baker.

Thursday, Feb. 27 ‘The Assessment’ Trailer: Elizabeth Olsen, Himesh Patel and Alicia Vikander...

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Peacock is ready with an entertainment-packed March this year. The upcoming month will see the release of the much-anticipated crime drama series Long Bright River, as well as the streaming release of the beloved musical fantasy film Wicked: Part One. Just like every month, Peacock is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 5 new movies and TV shows coming to Peacock in March 2025.

Plane (March 12) Credit – Lionsgate Films

Plane is an action thriller film directed by Jean-François Richet from a screenplay co-written by Charles Cumming and J.P. Davis. The 2023 film follows Brodie Torrance, a commercial pilot who must team up with an alleged murderer to save his passengers after their plane crashed in a hostile territory. Plane stars Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Yoson An, and Tony Goldwyn.

Long Bright River...

Music supervisors behind the songs of “Wicked” and “A Complete Unknown” led the winners at the 15th annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards on Sunday night.

On the TV side, the music supervisors behind “Agatha All Along” and “Baby Reindeer” triumphed.

Stephen Schwartz was awarded the Icon Award to celebrate his contributions to the music and film industry. The composer and lyricist performed his song “Beautiful City” on stage from his musical “Godspell.”

Oscar nominees Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada performed their nominated song “Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing,” which took the prize for best song written and/or recorded for a film. Meanwhile, Danielle Ponder performed her nominated song “Egún” from Apple TV’s “Manhunt,” and the artist Role Model performed their song “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” as the Spotlight artist of the evening.

Music producer and supervisor Bonnie Greenberg accepted the Legacy Award for her outstanding career in music supervision.

"Like a Bird" from the prison drama Sing Sing just won a key prize at the 15th Annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards on Sunday night so does that make the tune written by Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel, and Adrian Quesada the new frontrunner for the Best Song Oscar?

The guild has been handing out its award for Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film for the last nine years, and in that span it has lined up with the Oscars only three times: "City of Stars" from La La Land, "Shallow" from A Star is Born, and "What Was I Made For?" from Barbie. In four instances, the guild picked songs that were nominated for but didn't win the Oscar: "Mystery of Love" from Call Me by Your Name, "Hear My Voice" from The Trial of the Chicago 7, "Dos Oruguitas" from Encanto, and "This Is a Life...

The Guild of Music Supervisors Awards revealed its 2025 winners Sunday night (Feb. 23). The 15th annual ceremony was held at The Wiltern in L.A.’s Koreatown and honors the year’s best work in songs and scores for screen.

Sunday’s ceremony began with a video about January’s deadly wildfires, in which guild president Lindsay Wolfington lost her home. She thanked the community for rallying behind her during opening remarks with vp Heather Guibert.

The opening remarks didn’t shy away from addressing the Academy’s decision to “move away” from best original song live performances at the 2025 Oscars. “We are proud that our awards for best song written and or recorded for film and for television, acknowledges the collaborative efforts of the songwriters, the performers, and of course the music,” Guibert told the crowd.

“This year in particular, unlike other awards bodies, we are especially proud to be...

Alice Hirson, who played a confidante of Barbara Bel Geddes’ Miss Ellie Ewing on Dallas and the mother of Ellen DeGeneres’ character on the comic’s groundbreaking ABC sitcom, has died. She was 95.

Hirson died Friday of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, her son David Hirson told The Hollywood Reporter. She had been there for about a year.

From 1969-93, Hirson appeared on such daytime soap operas as CBS’ The Edge of Night as Stephanie Martin; on NBC’s Another World and its spinoff, Somerset, as Marsha Davis; on ABC’s One Life to Live as Eileen Siegel; on ABC’s General Hospital as Mrs. Van Gelder; and on ABC’s Loving as Dr. Lisa Helman.

On the big screen, she played the wife of Colonel Thornbush (Robert Webber), head of the paratrooper unit known as the Thornbirds, in Private Benjamin...

The most successful big-screen Broadway musical adaptation in history will arrive on the streamer four months after premiering in theaters.

Good news! The most successful big-screen Broadway musical adaptation in history officially has a streaming premiere date. Universal’s blockbuster film version of the first half of “Wicked” will be available to stream on Peacock beginning in March. While NBCU won’t be able to push people to its flagship streamer in the leadup to the March 2 Academy Awards, the company is taking full advantage of the movie musical’s extended premium video-on-demand (PVOD) window, which began on Dec. 31, 2024.

Key Details: “Wicked” will arrive on Peacock on March 21, 2025; four months after its theatrical debut. The streaming version of “Wicked” will include the full “Defying Gravity” collection of bonus content. The movie musical is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Sign Up $7.99+ / month peacocktv.com

While “Wicked” devotees have been...

Claire Danes is set to reunite with “My So-Called Life” creator Winnie Holzman for a new drama series in the works at HBO, TheWrap has learned.

The new series, titled “The Applebaum Curse,” is billed as an ongoing one-hour drama series about a dysfunctional family with Danes as the lead role, per the official logline. The show is still in early development at the network, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.

Danes is attached to star in and executive produce the series, while Holzman would serve as writer, showrunner and executive producer for “The Applebaum Curse.”

The new series would reunite Danes and Holzman three decades after they worked together on “My So-Called Life,” which ran for just one year from 1994-95 on ABC. In the show, Danes starred as Angela Chase, a teen from a fictional Pittsburgh suburb grappling with social issues that made for a tumultuous adolescence.

Despite only running for one season,...

“Wicked” is coming home.

The Oscar-nominated adaptation of the beloved stage musical is hitting Peacock, Universal’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform, on March 21. Ready to head back to Oz?

“Wicked” hit theaters at Thanksgiving, which is making this a particularly lengthy journey from the initial exhibition to “free” streaming. In between then and now, the movie has been released on digital platforms and on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K Uhd. The movie has amassed over $727 million worldwide, an impressive feat for any movie but especially for a Broadway-style musical. The second part of the adaptation, “Wicked: For Good,” also directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, hits theaters on November 21.

“Wicked: Part One” was an adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, as well as the original 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. It is currently nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress...

We’ve got some “Wicked” good news for musical-theater kids who simply could not contain themselves in the movie theater: Peacock will exclusively stream “Wicked,” including the singalong version, starting on March 21.

Additionally, “Wicked” is bringing with it a “full collection” of bonus content, per Universal/Peacock. And that’s not an oversell.

Look at all of this shiz stuff:

“Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked NBC Special”

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reveal their journey into Oz with personal footage from set and a world exclusive scene, alongside “Wicked” cast members Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum.

Making “Wicked“

Return to Oz for a fantastic behind-the-scenes journey with this expansive look inside the characters, choreography, and creativity that make up the movie’s unforgettable world.

Deleted Scenes

Pfannee & ShenShen Meet Glinda

Reunited at Shiz University, Glinda, Pfannee, and ShenShen recall their...

Peacock announced this morning that Universal Pictures’ musical sensation Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, will begin streaming exclusively on the service beginning March 21, along with the Sing-Along version and other bonus content.

The biggest Broadway adaptation of all-time globally, at a worldwide gross of more than $727 million, Wicked won this year’s Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and is currently up for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The first in a two-part adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical of the same name, which is itself based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, the film examines the origins of Elphaba (Erivo), who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West (of The Wizard of Oz fame), and her complex relationship with Glinda (Grande), the Good Witch.

Jon M. Chu directed both films — including sequel Wicked: For Good, out November 21 — from a script by the stage show...

Songwriter and Tony Award-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda really, really wanted to appear in Jon M. Chu's recent "Wicked" adaptation — but I bet you'll never guess which role he was gunning for.

During an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in February 2025, Miranda, the man behind Broadway hits like "Hamilton" and huge cinematic songs like "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from "Encanto" revealed that he basically begged Chu for a specific and incredibly small role in the adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's acclaimed Broadway musical. "In the opening number of the show, this one munchkin runs out and goes, 'Is it true you were her friend?'" Miranda told Colbert. "Because, man, I don't know if you've seen a live production of 'Wicked,' but sometimes they really put some sauce on the ball when they deliver that line. It's where the story starts. So I was like,...

The Oscar race for Best Original Score has focused on two top contenders. Here’s a breakdown of the race.

SEEHow Kieran Culkin could end this 12-year Oscar streak Frontrunner: The Brutalist, by Daniel Blumberg

This is one of four scores in this category that swept the nominations with bids from the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, BAFTAs, and Society of Composers and Lyricists (Scl) — the others are Conclave, Emilia Pérez, and The Wild Robot. Blumberg’s score won the BAFTA, another strong sign in his favor. In addition, this music has won awards from the Washington, D.C., Area Film Critics Association, the Boston Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Online, and the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, to name a few. And while Blumberg doesn’t have any Oscar priors — this is his first nomination — one could certainly argue that he has composed the most conspicuous orchestral score.

Wicked co-screenwriter Dana Fox revealed that the second part in the saga, Wicked: For Good, will go even deeper in exploring Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda's (Ariane Grande) relationship with one another. Speaking with Screen Rant at the Writer's Guild of America awards, Fox explained that For Good will expand upon the second act of the original Broadway musical, which is considered by some to be less exciting than act one. Fox stated:

"Part Two actually has a little bit more room to be able to explore. Part One was pretty packed in terms of what was in the first act of the play, and all the things we knew we had to do. We explored, we deepened, and we tried to give you moments that you didn't have in the play... But in the second movie, there's a little bit more space for interpretation and space to go...

Anora kept up its impressive run to the Oscars on Saturday, adding the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay to its considerable haul. The win for the the Sean Baker film came a week after Anora swept the Directors Guild of America and Producers Guild of America top prizes, cementing itself as the frontrunner heading into the Academy Awards on March 2.

RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes‘ script forNickel Boys, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, scored for Best Adapted Screenplay at the WGA Awards, which honor the best writing in movies, television, news, and radio.

The key WGA categories of Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay are seen as a bellwether for the impending Academy Awards, though the nominees rarely match up. Scripts produced outside the guild’s collective bargaining agreement or written by a non-union member are deemed ineligible. This year, six...

With last year’s ceremony taking place in the shadow of the 2023 strikes and this year’s function in the aftermath of the Southern California wildfires, the 2025 WGA Awards have a lot of work to do when it comes to lifting the spirits of the entertainment industry. Thankfully, good writing always has.

As is tradition, events for the east and west coast branches of the Writer’s Guild are held concurrently today at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City. LA’s affair is hosted by actor/comedian Joel Kim Booster and kicks off at 4:30pm Pt. For those who want to tune in at home, you can watch the west coast soiree via livestream at that time.

While under normal circumstances, tonight’s results wouldn’t necessarily carry much water when it comes to the Oscars, this year’s awards race...

"Wicked," the hit film based on the Broadway music of the same name has garnered a lot of love from audiences and critics alike. While our own review found it a bit messy, the majority of critics appreciated the bright, bold Broadway adaptation, praising the performances of stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in particular. They both act and sing their hearts out as Glinda (the "Good Witch") and Elphaba (the "Wicked Witch of the West") respectively, which led some fans to be completely shocked when they checked the Oscar nomination announcements and saw that "Wicked" had not been nominated for either Best Original Song or Best Original Score. 

"Wicked" did nab four nominations, for Best Actress for Erivo, Best Supporting Actress for Grande, Best Film Editing, and the coveted Best Picture award, so it's not like Academy voters ignored the movie entirely. It turns out there's a good reason...

This year’s contenders for the original score Oscar are an innovative and international mix and, for the first time in more than a quarter century, two musicals are among the nominees: “Emilia Pérez” and “Wicked.”

Three are past Oscar winners: German Volker Bertelmann (for “All Quiet on the Western Front”), Americans Stephen Schwartz and Kris Bowers. Three more are newcomers to Oscar: Englishman Daniel Blumberg and French composers Camille and Clément Ducol.

For “The Brutalist,” experimentalist composer Blumberg supplied Brady Corbet’s epic about a Holocaust survivor’s challenges in America with a small orchestra score played by just 18 musicians but recorded all over Europe. Renowned London pianist John Tilbury performs much of the key material.

Tilbury, 89, “has a beautiful Steinway literally in a shed in his garden in Kent,” says Blumberg. “I basically moved in with him for a month. I put microphones next to his face so...

The Society of Composers and Lyricists announced its 2025 awards recipients at the sixth annual Scl Awards.

Composers and lyricists gathered together for a dinner and ceremony hosted by singer-songwriter Colin Hays, held at the Skirball Cultural Center. The evening opened with a performance of “Lean on Me” — meant to bring the community together after the recent wildfires that have devastated Los Angeles.

While the night’s atmosphere was overall celebratory, the awards ceremony took several opportunities to acknowledge the recent tragedy in the city. Composer Starr Parodi, who lost her home in the Palisades Fire, was given a replacement plaque for her previously earned jury award on stage.

Among the top awardees for the night were Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist, Diane Warren for The Six Triple Eight, Kris Bowers for The Wild Robot and Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Luca Guadagnino for Challengers.

Composer Harry Gregson-William accepted the Spirit...

The Wild Robot‘s Oscar prospects may have gotten a boost on Wednesday as the Society of Composers and Lyricists announced its sixth annual award winners. The animated feature won Best Original Score for a Studio Film, defeating three of its Oscar rivals: Emilia Pérez, Wicked, and Conclave. The last of this year’s Best Score Oscar nominees, The Brutalist, competed in another category at the Scl Awards, winning Best Original Score for an Independent Film.

So does that mean the Oscar will come down to The Wild Robot and The Brutalist? In the Scl Awards’ previous five years, they agreed with the Oscars three times: Joker (2019), Soul (2020), and Oppenheimer (2023). In 2021, the Scl voted for Encanto (studio) and The Green Knight (independent), but the Oscar went to Dune. And for 2022, the Scl picked Nope (studio) and Everything Everywhere All at Once (independent), while the Oscars opted for All Quiet on the Western Front.

Wicked had a series of professionals both on screen and behind the screen, which is why it was a big success. Marc Platt, who was the producer of the film, has a wide experience in theater and the movie industry, but he had a different idea for Wicked.

The 2024 hit is based on the 2003 Broadway musical, which has had multiple renditions all over the world since. Although the musical tells the whole story with an intermission, director Jon M. Chu divided the screen adaptation into two separate features. However, during the annual Producers Guild of America, Marc Platt revealed he wanted the film to be released all at once with an intermission, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Related'The Gatekeeping Fan Girl': Ariana Grande Explained Her Nonnegotiable Changes in Wicked and Acting Future

Ariana Grande will never stop protecting Wicked.

"I remember going to the movies as a kid and...

Wicked producer Marc Platt is teasing what’s next for the film’s story in the forthcoming second movie, along with recalling his initial hesitation to divide the screen adaptation of the successful Broadway show into two separate features.

During the annual Producers Guild of America Nominees Breakfast on Saturday, Platt was asked about the biggest hurdles in bringing Wicked, which he originally produced for the Broadway stage, to the screen for Universal Pictures. Starring Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), director Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movie is nominated for 10 Oscars after hitting theaters late last year, while the second title in the two-part release, Wicked: For Good, is set for November.

“I remember going to the movies as a kid and watching musicals or Lawrence of Arabia that had intermissions in it, and that was actually my dream for Wicked, that we could do it with intermission,...

Talk about a gargantuan task. The feature take on Broadway musical Wicked, which is split up into two theatrical releases, had a first cut that was close to four hours long. Part 1 of Jon M. Chu’s 10-times Oscar-nominated movie was whittled down to 2 hours and 40 minutes. How long Part 2 is still Tbd.

“It was a long movie,” Oscar-nominated editor Myron Kerstein said at Deadline’s Contenders Film: The Nominees virtual panel. “And then of course, the second movie that was also assembled, so were able to watch both parts at the same time to inform us, the bigger story we’re telling and whether it should be one or two movies.”

Kerstein added, “That first cut didn’t have ‘Defying Gravity’ due to the strike.” That’s the big show-stopping climax number from Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba.

Related: Contenders Film: The Nominees — Deadline’s Complete Coverage

Given that situation,...