We’ve been waiting a year for the release of Wicked: For Good on the 2025 movie schedule. However, the two Wicked films were actually filmed at the same time. That means it was quite the beast of a project to film and edit together, and the movies’ editor, Myron Kerstein, told CinemaBlend just how difficult it was to juggle moments like “Popular” and “No Good Deed” at the same time.
Those who have seen the Broadway musical know that Act I and Act II of Wicked are tonally very different. While the first part is colorful, bubbly and fun, the story For Good covers is significantly darker. They truly are two totally different movies, and that made working on them at the same time a challenge. During an interview with CinemaBlend’s Rachel Rosenfeld, the movies’ editor Myron Kerstein explained why that was the case, saying:
To be honest, the way they were shooting the two films simultaneously it was a kind of a brain fry. It was like I was almost confused at first, because the range was so different. You know, Glinda was so bubbly one day shooting ‘Popular,’ and the next day we’re shooting like, you know, ‘No Good Deed’ or ‘For Good.’ And it was so much of a darker palette as well.
This really isn’t for the faint of heart. I’d guess that making two movies at the same time would be rough regardless. However, juggling Wicked and Wicked: For Good feels like a particularly massive challenge, because it has to tell a cohesive story while also giving fans two distinctly different movies.
In the well-reviewed Wicked: For Good, we jump forward and meet Elphaba, Glinda and co. long after the events of the first film. They’re all grown up, they’re more mature, many of them are a lot angrier, and overall, the story is significantly darker.
Juggling that story with Wicked, which got great reviews, was a challenge. However, Kerstein told us that by working closely with cinematographer Alice Brooks, they were able to put it all together. He said:
Alice Brooks and I, the cinematographer, we would talk at the end of every day of shooting, and I would say, ‘You know, this is really different, right? Like, this is a completely different film.’ And she was like, ‘That’s what we’re going for.’
Along with having conversations with the cinematographer about how to flip between things like the bubblegum pink number that is “Popular” and the deep dark moment that is “No Good Deed,” he also spoke with director Jon M. Chu a lot. Explaining how the conversations with the filmmaker helped the editor, Kerstein said:
And I would have to talk through with Jon and make sure that I understood the arc of these characters.
Since they filmed Wicked and Wicked: For Good at the same time and not in chronological order, the cast and crew probably always had to be aware of where they were in the story while also being able to jump to a totally different point on a moment’s notice. On top of all that, they had to keep the full vision in mind. So, I can see why it could get confusing.
Overall, I totally get why working on both films was a “bit of a brain fry.” However, it all worked out! Now, we can all watch Wicked with an Amazon Prime subscription, and you can see Wicked: For Good in theaters now.