Wicked has finally arrived in cinemas following strong reviews for the first part of the musical adaptation.
If you're heading to the cinema this weekend to check it out, you might be wondering how long the movie is.
We can confirm that Wicked runs for 159 minutes and 59 seconds, or just shy of two hours and 40 minutes if you prefer.
The movie tells the story of the first act of the hit musical, but expands the backstories and adds scenes from the book it's loosely based on. It means Wicked: Part One runs almost as long as the entire musical.
Related: A Wicked sceptic reviews the Wicked movie
Wicked acts as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and follows the two characters as they go from friends to rivals, setting them on the paths to becoming the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West.
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As for why it's been split into two movies, composer Stephen Schwartz explained in 2022 that it's because 'Defying Gravity' is such a big song that it was tough to follow.
"We found it very difficult to get past 'Defying Gravity' without a break. That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene followed it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic," he noted.
Related: Wicked movie soundtrack confirms which songs are in first movie
Ariana Grande recently responded to controversy over a fan edit of the movie's poster, which saw the image replicated to more closely resemble to original musical's poster, with Elphaba's hat tipped lower and lip colour changed.
Cynthia Erivo called the change "offensive" and "degrading", while also criticising an AI-generated edit of the poster.
In other news, Fiyero actor Jonathan Bailey has revealed that there's a naked photo of himself in his character's boots that will never see the light of day.
Wicked is out now in cinemas.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
