The Oscars will officially defy gravity in 2025.
On Monday morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will bring their witchy magic to the Oscars stage.
The two actresses, both nominated for Oscars this year, were announced alongside several other musical performers, including Doja Cat, Lisa of Blackpink, Queen Latifah, and Raye. Their performances will focus on "celebrating the filmmaking community and some of its legends."
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The Hollywood Reporter suggests that Erivo and Grande will open the show with a Wicked performance. Entertainment Weekly has reached out to the Academy for comment.
The 2025 ceremony has already stirred up plenty of controversy around its musical performances. Back in January, the Academy and the show's producers, Raj Kapoor and Kelly Mullan, announced that the numbers nominated for Best Original Song would not be performed on the broadcast, as is generally the tradition. Oscar-nominated songwriters pushed back against the decision, with Diane Warren calling the move "unfair."
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But musical performances are clearly not off the table entirely with this latest announcement. It's not surprising, especially if Grande and Erivo deliver a Wicked showcase as expected. While the Wicked soundtrack has been ubiquitous since the film's release, the nominated songs — "El Mal" and "Mi Camino" from Emilia Pérez, "Like a Bird" from Sing Sing, "Never Too Late" from Elton John: Never Too Late, and "The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight — have nowhere near the same level of audience appeal.
Wicked was not eligible for the Best Original Song category because all of the songs in the film were from the 2003 Broadway production. The second film, Wicked: For Good, out later this year, is set to feature new songs from composer Stephen Schwartz.
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Indeed, the Oscars stage seems a prime launching pad for the second wave of publicity for the Wicked films. While the first teaser for Part One dropped during the 2024 Super Bowl, fans are still eagerly awaiting their first glimpse of Wicked: For Good. Perhaps a special sneak peek will follow the performance?
The Oscars will air on ABC and stream on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
