Why Wicked Movie Cut One Boq & Fiyero Scene Explained By Director Jon M. Chu

Wicked director Jon M. Chu explains why a scene with Boq (Ethan Slater) and a shirtless Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) was cut. Even though Wicked is split into two parts, and the first movie's runtime is almost the same as the length of the entire Broadway musical, certain scenes still needed to be cut from the cinematic adaptation. This is largely due to the differences in pacing between a movie and a stage musical. However, many of the movie's deleted scenes will be available to watch via bonus content when it becomes available for digital purchase on December 31.

While speaking with Collider, Chu addressed Wicked actor Bowen Yang's comments about a Boq and shirtless Fiyero scene being cut and confirmed that it was filmed. Chu revealed that both characters "looked great" and described the scene as "hilarious" but explained that it was cut as it did not fit the tone of the movie. He teased that it may eventually be included in the movie's home release, although it is not included among the digital release's confirmed bonus content. Check out Chu's comments below:

Yes, there is. I will confirm. And he looks great, and Boq looks great. It's really funny and hilarious, but it just didn't fit the tone of our movie at a certain point. But maybe eventually, someone will see that. Maybe we’ll sneak that into the home video just in time.

What This Means For Wicked

The Scene Had Its Merits, But Cutting It Was Probably For The Best

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With Bailey's attractiveness being a significant piece of the discourse surrounding Wicked, there will be disappointment following confirmation that a scene of a shirtless Fiyero was cut. The scene also could have helped flesh out Boq more, including his friendship with Fiyero. When Boq introduces himself to Fiyero shortly before "Dancing Through Life" begins, Fiyero takes an interest in Boq, and does not brush him off as Glinda (Ariana Grande-Butera) and other characters do. While the scene could have revealed more about Boq and his friendship with Fiyero, it was probably the right call to cut it.

Related Why Glinda Always Gets Boq's Name Wrong In Wicked Glinda has a habit of calling Boq by the name of Bick in Wicked, with the reason behind this tying into the tragic trajectory of Boq’s story.

Even though it likely did not go beyond the characters being shirtless, this arguably would have made the movie slightly less family-friendly, and taken too much focus away from the core story of Elphaba and Glinda's relationship. Part of the reason Wicked's box office numbers have been so high is that the movie has been a hit among audiences of all ages, and it is a faithful adaptation of the Broadway musical. Neither of these strengths tie into the cut Fiyero and Boq scene.

The Scene Should Still Be Released

I understand why the Fiyero and Boq scene was cut, but I still hope that it is eventually released. Fiyero treating Boq differently than Glinda treats him is an effective way of highlighting the differences in the values of the two popular characters. The cut scene could further highlight those differences and allow the audience to better understand where Fiyero and Boq's character arcs are headed in Wicked: For Good's story. Wicked remains a phenomenal movie without the Fiyero and Boq scene, yet the scene still deserves to be seen.

Source: Collider