Wicked (2024) was filmed entirely in the UK, with principal production taking place at Sky Studios Elstree in Hertfordshire and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Watford. Iconic outdoor scenes were shot on location in Buckinghamshire (Munchkinland), the Seven Sisters in East Sussex (Shiz University), and a massive 20-acre tulip field near King's Lynn in Norfolk.
Perhaps the most impressive filming site was on a farm in Ivinghoe, a village close to the borders of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, where the infamous Munchkin land was built, alongside parts of the Shiz University and Emerald City (capital of the Land of Oz).
Set in the magical land of Oz before the events of The Wizard of Oz, Wicked was filmed entirely in England. While the film used a significant amount of CGI to bring its fantastical elements to life, such as the amazing Oz Train, the producers emphasized practical effects and large, real-world sets whenever possible.
Most of the Wicked franchise was filmed in Sky Studios Elstree in Hertfordshire, England. However, there are some Wicked: For Good filming locations you can visit in real life—and they're even more breathtaking than the sets you see on screen.
Belmont Nurseries near King's Lynn in Norfolk was used as a backdrop for Wizard of Oz spin-off Wicked, which stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as witches Glinda and Elphaba. Nine million tulips were planted on the 25-acre (10 hectares) site, where hundreds of extras brought fictional Munchkinland to life.
How I Found WICKED’s Real Filming Locations in England
Where was the Cliff scene in Wicked filmed?
Seven Sisters Country Park, East Sussex, UK
Another location reportedly used for both films is the visually stunning cliffs of Seven Sisters Country Park in East Sussex, situated in southeastern England.
During an interview with Fandango, Wicked director Jon M. Chu spoke about his desire to make Emerald City as real as possible. “We wanted this place to be physical,” Chu said. The director went on to say that most of what you see onscreen is practical, rather than CGI or greenscreen.
The play reveals in two acts (along with several other surprises) just how these friends become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, respectively. Wicked has no openly queer characters, but that doesn't stop the show or its fans from exploring several queer-coded elements and metaphors for queerness.
In the musical, it's pretty obvious that Elphaba is not really affected adversely by water. It's a rumor that she and Fiyero took advantage of so they could fake her death. In the book, it's made very clear early on that water hurts ELphaba's skin.
That's right, it was not special effects but in fact a real, 106 ft train. Nathan Crowley, who was the production designer for the movie, explained to Elle DECOR that a lot of the inspiration for the train's design came from automatons.
Elphaba and Glinda are 18 in the book when they go to University, so I go with 18 at the start and Nessa being younger than 18, (14 when she enrolls in the book) . Fiyero I go with 19 or 20. In the book, he is younger than Elphaba and Glinda.
Wicked has always been more than just a quirky backstory to a classic villain; it is a story about good and evil, how people become a certain way and what drives them to do so.
This week, Wicked says goodbye to its 2024/25 company and introduces its 2025/26 West End cast. The new cast is led by Emma Kingston as Elphaba and Zizi Strallen as Glinda. Kingston's previous credits include Heathers, Les Misérables and Grease.
Is Elphaba from Wicked actually green in real life?
This is particularly the case when it comes to one of two leads of the Wicked cast, Cynthia Erivo and her perfectly green skin. No, Elphaba isn't CGI green. The actress was in the makeup chair everyday when she went to set to transform into the future Wicked Witch.
Its metaphor is about a leader coming in and blaming the underrepresented for the ills of society,” Platt said of producing the Broadway and film adaptations, adding that he and the writers had spoken a lot about the Holocaust and fascism in Germany throughout the production stages.
She melts away, leaving behind a green bottle that Dorothy returns to the Wizard. He recognizes it as the same drug used to seduce Melena years prior, revealing himself to be Elphaba's true father.
Bethany Weaver plays Dorothy in Wicked: For Good, the second part of the movie, but her face is kept intentionally obscured to keep the focus on Elphaba and Glinda, as her role serves to bridge the prequel story with the classic Wizard of Oz tale. Weaver is a UK-based actress, dancer, and choreographer, and the secret of her casting was kept until the film's release in late 2025, with director Jon M. Chu explaining it was to avoid overshadowing the main characters.
While filming Wicked in London, Ariana Grande lived in Hampstead and grew fond of the area. She enjoyed walking on Hampstead Heath, exploring local shops and pubs, and embracing British traditions like the Sunday roast.
