LOVERS of musicals have spent years waiting for the film version of West End smash Wicked to arrive.
But if you couldn’t care less about the Wizard Of Oz prequel due out in November, I have bad news.
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Universal Pictures is on a mission to eclipse the merch madness we saw with Barbie last year and has signed big retail deals.
Primark, H&M and Lush are just some of the high street giants who will have Wicked products launching in the coming weeks.
And at Marks & Spencer, you’ll be able to grab everything from Christmas tree baubles to PJs and mugs linked to the movie, which stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Meanwhile Ariana, who plays Glinda The Good Witch, will release a limited-edition Wicked line from her brand R.E.M beauty.
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A source told me: “Bosses at Universal quietly agreed deals worth hundreds of millions of pounds after wooing high street giants with VIP tours of the North London set during production last year.
“They saw how Barbie took over the world with branded products and think that Wicked can be even bigger.”
CHRISSIE IN THE FRAME
CHRISSIE Hynde is certainly no one-trick pony.
The Pretenders frontwoman has an art exhibition opening in London from November 21, featuring some of her best artwork.
It includes portraits of some of her closest pals, such as Brian Eno and Paul Weller.
The show, at 4 Cromwell Place, runs until December 14 and will display 60 of Chrissie’s favourite pieces.
Chrissie said of her event, called The Hynde Sight exhibition: “What was a meditative practice had turned into something more substantial and could not now be ignored.
“Like lyrics for a song waiting to be written, the paintings kept accumulating, wanting to be seen.
“Writing the will would have to wait, action needed to be taken – the paintings would have to be dealt with.”
Tickets will be available at chrissiehynde.art.
Romeo leathered like mum and dad
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ROMEO Beckham was giving the Terminator a run for his money with this black leather look.
The footballer went back to his modelling roots and was signed up to walk the runway for fashion house Balenciaga during Paris Fashion Week.
He took a leaf out of parents Posh and Becks, who liked the look in the Nineties.
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Romeo was playing for Brentford FC’s B-team until earlier this summer, but insiders said he walked away from the club to focus on a career back in front of the cameras.
Romeo is now signed to Safe Management and when Spice Girls singer turned fashion designer Posh finally brings out her first range of men’s clobber, you can bet that Romeo is going to be modelling it on the catwalk.
ELT BIGS UP KNEECAP
SIR ELTON JOHN thinks he has found the new Eminem in the form of Irish rappers Kneecap.
The group appeared on his Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music 1 last month.
Now Elton has said of the three-man band: “They are an amazing Irish rap, funk, fabulous MC band that I haven’t seen the likes of in a long time. Very exciting.”
He added: “Reminds me of when I first saw Marshall – Eminem.”
We’re expecting big things.
The Lady in red
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LADY GAGA has a lot to celebrate – and she partied the night away after the US premiere of her new film Joker: Folie à Deux.
She announced new album Harlequin last week, and is preparing to release the first song from her upcoming seventh album.
Gaga, with new red hair, posed with fiance Michael Polanksy at the LA bash.
Teasing new track LG7, she said: “I think my singing’s really different from anything I’ve ever done before.”
SINGLES BATTLE IN THE MIX
WHEN they called time on life as Little Mix, Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock vowed never to go head-to-head with each other in the charts.
But two and a half years on, it seems the drive to make it as a solo artist has made them rethink.
Jade this week confirmed she would drop her third solo track, Fantasy, on October 18.
It will come out two weeks after Perrie’s new single, Go Your Way, on Friday. Perrie said previously: “We’ve all said we will let each other know when we’re going to release so we don’t end up clashing in the charts. We’re rooting for each other, not competing against each other.”
Jade added: “It’s just not going to happen. There will be a conscious effort from all of us to make sure of that.”
I’m sure the competition will stay friendly for now.
