Big news for “Wicked” fans, the Broadway sensation turned box office hit is going to have its own float during the 2025 Rose Parade happening on New Years Day.
Rose Parade 2025: Your guide to every float, band and equestrian unit, in order
“Wicked” is the untold story of what happened in the land of Oz before Dorothy and ToTo arrived. The film tells the tale of the unlikely friendship between the witches of Oz, Elphaba and Glinda, after meeting at Shiz University and discovering that there’s more than meet’s the eye.
Part one of the film premiered earlier this year, with the second part, titled “Wicked: For Good,” set to come out Nov. 21, 2025.
The musical first debuted in San Francisco more than 20 years ago, starring Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth. It then made its way to Broadway in Oct. 2003, where it went on to win three Tony Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards, the original cast recording receiving a Grammy Award.
Related: Check out these limited-time ‘Wicked’ food, merchandise and events
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group is working with longstanding Rose Parade float-making company Phoenix Decorating to bring the design to life. The float will be seen during the first half of the televised broadcast. It is in spot 28 of the 83 floats, equestrian units and bands that make up the parade.
The float will feature the two lead characters, Elphaba and Glinda, as portrayed by Golden Globe nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the film, as well as the Emerald City, the Grimmerie spellbook and the iconic Yellow Brick Road all made of various florals, seeds and plants.
The design is themed around the song “Defying Gravity,” which serves as the finale for the first film. The float dimensions will be 24 feet tall, 18 feet wide and 55 feet in length. Additionally, it’s estimated that 76,748 flowers will be used.
Elphaba will be seen wearing her witch hat and cape, both of which are gifted to her by Glinda in the film, and will be flying her broomstick as she does during “Defying Gravity” in the film. The ensemble will be made out of costume of black seaweed, black fine-ground onion seed and light grey light lettuce seed. Glinda will be seen in the pink dress and crown she wears during the opening number “No One Mourns the Wicked” and will be holding her wand. The dress will be made of pink whole carnations.
The float will also feature giant tulips which are a nod to the tulip field used to bring Munchkinland to life. The film used practical effects to help bring the world of Oz to life and according to director John M. Chu, planted over 9 million tulips to create the iconic visual.
For those who want to see the float up close after the parade, it will be available to see in person from Jan. 1-3, 2025 during Floatfest, the annual Pasadena showcase that allows visitors to see each of the Rose Parade floats along Sierra Madre Blvd and Washington Blvd.
Related: Want to see the 2025 Rose Parade floats up close? Here’s how.
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group has said that there will be recorded music that plays with the float but specifics are not yet listed.
@theozvlog Replying to @ellesays_hi The 2023 Rose Parade did in fact include an Oz float, as did the same parade in 1939! #wizardofoz #tournamentofrosesparade #2023 #1939 #aidshealthcarefoundation #aidsawareness #roseparade #filmhistory #bobbiekoshay #munchkins #paradefloat #emeraldcity #theresnoplacelikehome #theozvlog #shirleytemple #ozhistorian #ozcollection #ozcollector #souvenir #antique #program
♬ Somewhere Over the Rainbow . The Wizard of Oz – Kristan
| HarpistKT
This isn’t the first time the Land of Oz got the Rose Parade treatment. In 1939 there was a “Wizard of Oz” themed float to promote the upcoming MGM film. In 2009, there was a float to celebrate the film’s 70th anniversary which featured giant versions of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Oz. This float also won the Fantasy trophy award. And in 2023, Aids Healthcare Foundation also paid omage to the Frank L. Baum classic story with their “There’s No Place Like Home” float.
For fans of the film and soundtrack, it has been announced that select movie theaters will be offering sing-a-long screenings of the film beginning Christmas day. And for those who want to see the stage production, “Wicked” is currently on tour in Southern California and is being performed at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood until Feb. 2, 2025.
@the.socal.local The Broadway sensation is hitting the big screen. That’s right, 20 years after it premiered in California and shortly thereafter made its way to New York, “Wicked” is coming to movie theaters across the globe. Part one of the film premieres on Nov. 22, with the second part set to come out Nov. 21, 2025. As fans of the musical prepare for the release, there are quite a few limited-time offerings happening to promote the film, some of which are exclusive to Southern California. Here’s a look at some of the unique items you can find at Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk in Los Angeles. Visit the link in our bio to see the complete guide.
: Carolyn Burt (@Reporter Carolyn) & Victoria Ivie, SCNG #wicked #wickedmovie #universalstudios #atuniversal @Universal Destinations @Universal Pictures @Wicked Movie #popculture #popculturenews #thingstodo #thingstodoinla #arianagrande #cynthiaerivo #jonathanbailey #glinda #elphaba #fiyero