‘Wonderful’ Song: From Gentle to Aggressive Transformation

Jeff goldblum’s Wizard in the upcoming Wicked: For Good isn’t offering apologies-a stark contrast to the Broadway version, composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz revealed.

A Wizard Transformed: Goldblum’s Take on a Classic Role

The film adaptation of the beloved musical features a important lyrical change for the character of the Wizard.

• the film version of “Marvelous” features new lyrics for the Wizard, reflecting a more assertive and less apologetic character.
• Ariana Grande’s Glinda is integrated into the song, following a newly added scene.
• The changes aim to strengthen the central relationship between Elphaba and Glinda.

Fans of the original Wicked cast recording will remember Broadway legend Joel Gray’s Wizard offering a somewhat conciliatory and more convinced of his own correctness,demanding a rewrite of the iconic song.

The revamped “Wonderful” isn’t the only alteration in the film adaptation.The creative team also incorporated Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, into the number. This addition followed a new scene where Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba secretly visits her former roommate before Glinda’s wedding.

“If we thought of it, we probably would’ve done it in the [stage] show, too,” Schwartz said, “because I think it improves the sequence, and improves the storytelling. It just didn’t occur to us at the time.”

The decision to include Glinda stemmed from a realization during the film’s production. “While working on the films, we realized that after ‘Defying Gravity,’ we don’t have Elphaba and Glinda – the central relationship – in the same place at the same time for a very long time,” Schwartz continued. “So we looked for,’Well,how coudl we get them together sooner,’ and came up with the idea that it could happen when Elphaba goes back to the Emerald City.”

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), Glinda (Ariana Grande), and the Wizard (jeff Goldblum) sing ‘Wonderful’ in ‘Wicked: For Good’.

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According to Schwartz, bringing Glinda into the scene not only addressed a narrative gap but also made Elphaba’s potential shift in allegiance more believable. “It’s also much more persuasive that Elphaba might change her mind and go along with this [plan of having her join the Oz government] if appealed to by her friend, rather than the Wizard, whom she already mistrusts,” he concluded.