Wicked In Concert: Films Get Live Orchestra Tours Starting 2027

The Wicked Films Are Becoming Live Concert Experiences

Oz is about to get a whole lot louder. Universal has officially revealed that Wicked and Wicked: For Good will be reborn as live-to-film concert experiences, with full symphony orchestras performing the score in sync with screenings of both movies. The tour kicks off in January 2027 and runs through the summer, giving fans a brand-new reason to return to the land of the Wicked Witch of the West.

The announcement is a massive deal for a franchise that has already become one of the biggest musical adaptations of all time. Between the two films, the Wicked movies have grossed roughly $1.3 billion worldwide, with the first installment pulling in about $758 million and Wicked: For Good adding another $540 million. Now Universal is betting that the magic translates just as well to the concert hall.

What Is a Live-to-Film Concert, Exactly?

If you have never caught one of these, the format is simple to explain and genuinely something to see in person. Rather than putting the cast back on stage, the live-to-film experience projects the full movie on a massive HD screen while a live symphony orchestra performs the entire score in real time, synced to the picture. It is a hybrid of cinema and concert that has grown into its own thriving industry in recent years, and it tends to attract both hardcore film fans and classical music newcomers looking for a more theatrical night out.

For Wicked, the experience is being built around Stephen Schwartz’s beloved songs and the cinematic score from John Powell and Schwartz. Select screenings will also bring in a choir to provide backing vocals for some of the movie’s biggest musical numbers — which means hearing “Defying Gravity” or “Popular” swell through a packed concert venue with a full orchestra underneath it. It is a completely different way to experience music you already know by heart.

How the Tour Is Structured

Universal is launching the tour as “Wicked: Part One In Concert” first. The curtain goes up with a special preview in San Francisco on January 16, 2027, followed by the official world premiere at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on January 23. From there the tour rolls through Chicago on January 30, Mexico City on March 6, Guadalajara on April 17, Monterrey on April 24, Toronto on May 29, Montreal on July 17, and Vancouver on July 24 — with more cities and dates promised to be announced. Separate screenings of Wicked: For Good will follow, so fans of the second film get their own chance to hear that score live as well.

The concerts are the work of a collaboration between Universal Film, Universal Destinations & Experiences, and Hurwitz Concerts — the company founded by Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz, who has previously taken La La Land and Whiplash on similar tours. For Hurwitz, the Wicked films mark a first: it is the company’s entry into producing live-to-film concerts for movies he did not personally score. It is a notable step that signals just how far the format has come.

What the Show Actually Sounds Like

If the idea of hearing an orchestra play “Defying Gravity” makes you curious, you are not alone — the format has a devoted following precisely because it turns an emotional movie moment into a collective live event. There is something special about being in a room where hundreds of people hold their breath for the same note, and the filmmakers have made clear they want the concert to feel like a celebration rather than a passive screening. The score, built by John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, was designed for epic movie sound so shaking a concert hall with it only amplifies what was always there. That is a genuinely different way to hear music you might otherwise only stream on repeat.

Why This Matters for the Franchise

The Wicked story has now completed a remarkable journey — from a long-gestating Broadway musical to an enormous big-screen phenomenon to a live concert property. It is increasingly rare for a single franchise to occupy so many different entertainment formats, and the fact that Universal is willing to build a full touring production around it says a lot about how confident the studio is in the longevity of the property.

For those keeping score, the films themselves remain the centerpiece. Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked introduced the world to Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda, alongside a stacked supporting cast featuring Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, and Marissa Bode. Wicked: For Good completed the story, closing out one of the most successful Broadway-to-film pipelines in modern movie history.

A Growing Trend Across the Industry

The Wicked announcements are part of a broader shift in how studios are monetizing beloved intellectual property beyond the multiplex. Live-to-film concerts have exploded in popularity over the past few years, and when a title like Wicked enters that space, it validates the model for the rest of Hollywood. Expect more franchises to follow suit as audiences keep showing up for these hybrid experiences.

The trend also gives a new lease on life to classic material. The Wicked universe sits directly on top of the Oz mythology that has been enchanting audiences for the better part of a century, from the original The Wizard of Oz to later big-screen takes like Oz: The Great and Powerful. That deep well of nostalgia is exactly the kind of cultural heritage live concerts are built to celebrate.

How to Follow Along

If you want to catch the Wicked live-to-film experience, the best move right now is to keep an eye on the official ticket hub at wickedinconcert.com. The tour’s early tickets will likely move quickly once they go on sale, especially for the Radio City premiere and the North American stops. Additional cities and dates are expected to be added as the production ramps up, so there is a real chance the tour comes to a venue near you.

Until then, there is no shortage of ways to revisit the story. Whether you are rewatching the films at home or looking for something new in the same spirit, the musicians of Oz have a way of finding you. The Wicked franchise has spent two years defying gravity — and now it looks ready to do the same in front of a live orchestra.