We might get a shirtless Jonathan Bailey in Wicked 2
Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero in Wicked. (Getty)
Rumours of a scene from Wicked featuring Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater “ripping their shirts off” which was ultimately not used in the final cut have consumed fans, but the stars of the film say it could make an appearance in the second film.
Supporting cast member Bowen Yang made headlines last month when he revealed that several scenes were shot featuring the four main characters – Fiyero (Bailey), Boq (Slater), Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) – hanging out together.
The scenes were intended to show how close the characters had become. Yang told YouTuber Trisha Paytas that Slater was “jacked under that shirt” leading to questions as to how he acquired that information.
“They shot a whole montage after Popular… just to show the audience, ‘these are all friends now, Fieryo, Glinda, Elphaba, Nessa and Boq’, the five of them, running around in the fields, hanging out.”
“There was one moment – and there were paparazzi shots of this because they had to shoot in, like, a park in London – of them hanging out, where it’s Boq and Fiyero, Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater, ripping their shirts off,” Yang continued.
“And so you were supposed to see Jonathan Bailey in his full shirtless glory, like flexing. And then Boq, in the story of the movie, being insecure, and wanting to look hot too, and take his shirt off. But then it’s like, ‘wait, Ethan’s got a great body’…”
The scene was ultimately cut from the film, but fans were extremely disappointed to have missed a chance to see Bailey and Slater shirtless.
Grande and Erivo were asked about the scene – and whether it would be released as an extra – by Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet at the National Board of Review Awards.
“I can’t speak for Jon [M Chu, Wicked’s director], but all I can say is, you never know. There’s still a whole other movie,” Grande said.
Erivo added: “You don’t need it yet! Listen, just wait. Patience. Things come to those who wait.”
Chu previously said that the scene could appear in part two of Wicked – titled Wicked: For Good – but did not guarantee it.
He told Entertainment Tonight that people have been “harassing” him about the scene but said that he needs to see how the film fits together first before including that scene.
So there is hope that we might get to see the two male leads of Wicked shirtless after all – we just have to wait a year to find out.
Wicked: For Good will be released on November 21, 2025.
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