‘Wicked’ at Epic Universe: ‘I have ideas,’ Ariana Grande says + Universal exec weighs in
“Las Culturistas” co-host Matt Rogers ideated a “Wicked” ride for Epic Universe with the film’s stars Ariana Grande and Bowen Yang — and separately, a Universal executive teased plans, too.
Updated Feb. 23, 2025; original version published Dec. 3, 2024.
Brainstorming with Ariana Grande
Would Universal build an attraction based on “Wicked” at Epic Universe? Ariana Grande hopes so. The star of Universal Pictures’ “Wicked: Part One,” now in theaters, discussed a hypothetical expansion to the upcoming Universal Epic Universe theme park with her “Wicked” co-star Bowen Yang as well as Matt Rogers during the Nov. 6, 2024 episode of the “Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang” podcast. (Epic Universe opens May 22, 2025 in Orlando, Fla.)
Rogers initiated the idea, saying he’d been thinking about it all morning.
“Tell me now,” Grande replied.
“Because you want this to happen,” Rogers said.
“Of course I do, and I have ideas, as well.”
Photo courtesy of iHeartRadio
Rogers then launched into a pitch for an Emerald City area of Epic Universe, the story of which would take place between “Wicked: Part One” and 2025’s “Wicked: Part Two.”
“So in that era,” Rogers explained, “we believe that Elphaba’s afoot.” He proposed the land could be located between Super Nintendo World and Dark Universe.
Photo courtesy of iHeartRadio
Photo by bioreconstruct
Rogers said posters throughout the area could read, “Get the witch!” while other signs advertise, “Today, Glinda LIVE!”
“It’s you,” Rogers said, referring to Grande reprising her role from the films as Glinda, “and then we, as the guests coming in, are gonna see the speech and then something is happening.” Rogers continued, “We get in the ride, and I don’t know the rest of this, but that’s the setup. You are getting ready to speak and then there’s ‘weather.’”
“Weather,” Grande repeated.
“Morrible!” Yang exclaimed, reference Madam Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University in “Wicked” and portrayed by Michelle Yeoh in the films.
“The seats start to move,” Rogers continued. “We think it’s Elphaba, but we know it’s Morrible.”
Grande added to the brainstorm, saying Yeoh could reprise her role for the attraction, addressing the guests defiantly and shouting, “Listen!”
Of course, none of their discussion about a “Wicked” ride at Epic Universe is an official announcement, and Universal has not revealed any expansion plans for the future of Epic Universe beyond the new park’s Opening Day. Epic Universe will open on May 22 with five worlds: Celestial Park, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk.
Wicked: The Experience, a walkthrough attraction with merchandise and character greetings, opened late 2024 at Universal Studios Florida.
In early 2024, Rogers and Yang hypothesized with Tina Fey about the latter portraying Dr. Victoria Frankenstein in Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride.
Universal executive: ‘This is a theme park waiting to happen’
Separately from Grande’s just-for-fun brainstorm, Universal is reportedly developing actual plans for more “Wicked” attractions in its theme parks beyond the walk-through exhibit and gift shop currently open.
“When I saw [‘Wicked’], my first reaction was, ‘This is a theme park waiting to happen,’” said Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences, as quoted in the New York Times on Feb. 21, 2025.
New York Times reporter Brooks Barnes was more forward than Woodbury, adding, “Mr. Woodbury has still-secret plans for significant attractions themed to “Wicked.'”
Neither Woodbury nor Barnes indicated the intended location of these attractions, be they at Epic Universe or a different park or destination other than Orlando.
Full transcript of ‘Wicked’ Epic Universe idea
Below is the full transcript of Rogers, Grande, and Yang’s discussion about the possibility of “Wicked” at Epic Universe.
Matt Rogers: “Do you know how I spent my morning? I’ve been thinking about the ‘Wicked’ theme park ride all day. I’ve seen the film, and I want to unveil what I think the experience of the theme park ride at Epic Universe— Put it between— There’s a spot for it. You put in between Super Nintendo World and the Dark Universe. I feel like that’s a perfect meeting for ‘Wicked.’ It’s Emerald City / Oz, whatever they want to do. I can’t wait to pitch to our guest my idea for the theme park ride, the story of it, because I know we’re with one of the true girlies.”
Bowen Yang: “We’re with one of the true Floridian girlies.”
Rogers and Yang introduce Ariana Grande, conversing for several minutes before bringing up Epic Universe again.
Rogers: “Do you want to know the ‘Wicked’ theme park ride?”
Grande: “Tell me now.”
Rogers: “Because you want this to happen.”
Grande: “Of course I do, and I have ideas, as well.”
Rogers: “Okay, so let’s collab. I think you go to— It’s not Shiz, it’s the Emerald City. The vibe is like, ‘Glinda live today is gonna address everyone,’ the Ozians.”
Yang: “You’re already taken aback.”
Grande: “I’m already thinking about when we’re gonna have to shoot that.”
Rogers: “Oh god, yeah.”
Yang: “Tomorrow.”
Rogers: “We can figure it out.”
Grande: “I always— I think about that sometimes, you know?”
Rogers: “Yeah, shooting the theme park b-roll?”
Grande: “Yeah, shooting Hermione being like, ‘Don’t forget to wear your seatbelts!’ You know that vibe?”
Rogers: “Sometimes I feel like— Are they still doing that? Are they gonna go out to D. Radcliffe and the crew?”
Yang: “I think they’re on contract. They’re locked into something. Can you do your Hermione impression? Do you know what I’m talking about?”
Grande: “‘RON’S BEEN SPLINCHED!’ That? ‘Harry! Ron— Harry! Ron’s been splinched!'”
Yang: “Perfect.”
Rogers: “Oh my god, yeah. There is something in the nose.”
Grande: “‘Ron!'”
Rogers: “There is. What is that?”
Grande: “‘No, you can’t!’ I love the vocal fry so much.”
Yang: “The vocal what?”
Grande: “The vocal fry.”
Yang: “The fry. Oh my god, this is a true—”
Grande: “I love it so much.”
Yang: “Okay, so today Glinda is addressing—”
Rogers: “‘Today, Glinda LIVE.’ It’s you, and then we, as the guests coming in, are gonna see the speech and then something is happening. So this takes place between ‘Wicked’ 1 and 2.”
Grande: “Okay.”
Yang: “Oh, that’s fun. That’s fun.”
Rogers: “So in that era, we believe that Elphaba’s afoot.”
Grande: “Yeah.”
Rogers: “There’s signs that are like, ‘Get the witch!’ You know what I mean?”
Grande: “Right, right.”
Rogers: “We get in the ride, and I don’t know the rest of this, but that’s the setup. You are getting ready to speak and then there’s ‘weather.’”
Grande: “Weather.”
Yang: “Morrible!”
Rogers: “The seats start to move. We think it’s Elphaba, but we know it’s Morrible.”
Grande: “Michelle Yeoh going, ‘Listen!'”
Rogers: “Yes.”
Grande: “’Don’t let her get away!’”
The podcast episode is available on YouTube; the remarks about a “Wicked” ride at Epic Universe are at timecodes 3:30-4:10 and 5:35-7:35.
Would you want Universal to build a “Wicked” attraction at Epic Universe?
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Update history:
- Feb. 23, 2025: Mark Woodbury’s comments added
- Dec. 3, 2024: original story published
