There’s one element from the new Wicked film that composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz would like to incorporate into the show. During the “Popular” track, the film features a slightly longer ending that utilizes significant changes and more of Ariana Grande’s soprano range. Despite the new ending being written for the film, Schwartz is interested in having it permanently incorporated into the show itself.

“When I came in with this new ending, Ariana Grande was hesitant at first,” Schwartz explained during a recent interview with BuzzFeed UK. “I said, ‘If I had thought of this (ending) then, I would have done it.’ That’s the one that, I think, could find its way back into the musical.”

In a previous interview, Grande told Em Rusciano of The Emsolation Podcast that the song’s final choreography was a last-minute choice.

“We didn’t know if we would make such a long end with the major changes until we saw the hallway at Shiz. Alice (Brooks) and Jon (M. Chu) both said, ‘We have to take advantage of this.’ And Chris (Scott), our brilliant choreographer…just choreographed it and spontaneously taught it to me two days before we shot it and so we decided to use that ending of the song,” Grande said.

The famous musical number takes place during Glinda and Elphaba’s time at Shiz University, as Glinda tries to help her unpopular roommate fit in better. Listen to Ariana Grande’s rendition below.

In addition to Grande, the Wicked film adaptation stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. The first part was released on November 22, 2024 and part two was released in theaters on November 21, 2025.

Photo credit: Bruce Glikas