I Didn't Have Jonathan Bailey Comparing Wicked To ‘Independence Day' On My Bingo Card, But I Honestly Think It Sounds Intense

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If you like Bridgerton alum Jonathan Bailey, the 2025 movie schedule is a boon for the senses. Not only will he be showing up in the summer blockbuster Jurassic World Rebirth, but he'll of course be returning to the role of the dreamy Fiyero - as we saw in Wicked: For Good's first trailer.
Filming Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the Broadway legend was always going to be quite the experience; but I never thought the man would compare it to Roland Emmerich's Independence Day - though it makes total sense. Feel free to agree or disagree, courtesy of Mr. Bailey offering these recollections in a GQ profile:
Being slightly off the M1 in Munchkinland, with Ari [that's Ariana Grande to you and I] singing a beautiful mezzo soprano, and then seeing cars pulling up on the hard shoulder trying to record it. And then seeing men in the sky, [which] turned out to be microlights and drones. It was like Independence Day.
Ok, so it's not the residents of Munchkinland running from an exploding Empire State Building; but the comparison still stands. Imagining Wicked's award-nominated artistry being staged in a field in England, with all the bells and whistles, must have been exhilarating.
Though that big about the drones and microlights may be the kicker, as the right time of day could make those look like something not of this Earth. It certainly sounds akin to watching Independence Day in the '90s, and being blown away by something like Bill Pullman's stirring, title-dependent speech.
Only Jonathan Bailey was much closer to the action than a Peacock subscription would get you, and he technically got to watch a free Ariana Grande performance. Either way, there's a potential for fun Jeff Goldblum stories to crop up.
Peacock TV: from $7.99 a month/$79.99 a yearIf you can't wait until November to rejoicify in the release of Wicked: For Good, a Peacock subscription could have you flying high until then! With access to Wicked, as well as some documentaries and November's upcoming live event, it'd be very hard to bring you down! And all it costs is as little as $7.99 a month, with the option to upgrade to premium ad-free streaming.View Deal
The reaction to the first half of Universal's two-part musical epic certainly made a similar impression to the debut of that 1996 sci-fi disaster epic. With Wicked banking various box office milestones, and even inspiring audiences to sing along (much to the chagrin of some parties), it was a movie truly of the moment.
Wicked: For Good isn't due out until November 21st, but don't forget that you can stream Wicked on Peacock. As for Jonathan Bailey, he'll be next seen in Jurassic World Rebirth, which hits theaters on July 2nd - much sooner than what we know about Bridgerton Season 4, which will see him return to Netflix at some point in 2026.