Los Angeles, Aug 21 (IANS) The Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh, who is awaiting the release of her upcoming film ‘Wicked 2’, has shed light on the decision of making two big-screen installments.

‘Wicked 2’ marks the origin story of the witches of Oz. It also stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey, reports ‘People’ magazine.

Yeoh spoke about her voice role in the upcoming English-language version of the Chinese blockbuster ‘Ne Zha 2’, told ‘People’, “We shot Wicked and Wicked: For Good at the same time”.

The franchise’s distributor and producer, Universal Pictures, she quips, “was very brave”. Shouting out ‘Wicked’ director Jon M. Chu, producer Marc Platt and costars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey, Yeoh recalls conversations about how to translate Winnie Holzman and Stephen Schwartz’s long-running Broadway musical (itself adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 revisionist prequel to L. Frank Baum’s Oz) for the screen.

As per ‘People’, splitting the stage show into two movies, she said, “is very much like the musical, you know? You have part one, intermission, part two”.

She said, “I think there was talk, ‘Maybe we should just (squish) it together’”. But ultimately the team decided to spread the story out.

“There’s so many nuances. After you saw ‘Wicked One’, you felt, ‘I saw a complete film, but I want to know more about what’s gonna happen next”, she added.

As for what to expect in ‘Wicked: For Good’ (in theaters November 21), the actress behind the mysterious Madame Morrible can only tease.

Earlier, Yeoh confirmed what Schwartz said at the 2025 ‘Songwriters Hall of Fame’ induction ceremony in June. She said, “I think you’re getting some new songs. I didn’t say that”.

–IANS

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