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  • Pink goes good with green | Pop Recap #24

Pink goes good with green | Pop Recap #24

The Coachella lineup has been announced, Kendrick Lamar has surprise-dropped an album, Beyoncé is set to perform at an NFL halftime show, and more highlights from this week.

Author

Katrina
November 24, 2024

Happy Sunday everyone! I’m a happy girl because the Wicked movie is finally out, Moana 2 is out next week and my favorite time of the year is finally here. I hope you all have finished buying your Thanksgiving dinner ingredients and are ready for the fun holiday ahead.

Let’s dive into all the must-know highlights from the past week!

🗞️ MAKING HEADLINES 🗞️

🪕 The Coachella lineup has come early!!! Lady Gaga, Green Day, Post Malone and Travis Scott are set to headline. Other notable acts headed to the desert next April include Charli XCX, Missy Elliott, Megan Thee Stallion, Shaboozey, Zedd, Benson Boone, Lisa, GloRilla, JENNIE, Clairo, ENHYPEN and beabadoobee.

🔥 Kendrick Lamar has surprised us all with the release of his twelve track album, GNX. The new project is produced by Jack Antonoff, features collaborations with artists like SZA, and even touches on the controversy around his Super Bowl halftime performance and beef with Drake.

🏈 Beyoncé is set to perform a Christmas Day halftime show during the NFL’s Texans-Ravens game, streaming exclusively on Netflix.

👓 Walt Disney World has officially confirmed they will be closing down the final project Jim Henson worked on before he passed away, Muppet*Vision 3D, to make way for the new Monsters Inc., land at its Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando, FL. This news comes after several petitions circulated with fans begging for the attraction to be preserved. “As we move forward with these changes, we are having creative conversations and exploring ways to preserve the film and other parts of the experience for fans to enjoy in the future,” Disney Parks said. It has been announced that the Muppets will not be leaving the park completely, as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster will now be rethemed to replace Aerosmith with Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.

🏆The 2024 Country Music Association Awards aired on ABC on Wednesday night. Chris Stapleton was the big winner of the night, while Kacey Musgraves, Post Malone, Noah Kahan, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney were among those who lit up the stage. Shaboozey also performed, but notably took home no awards despite having one of the biggest hits of the year with “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

In this edition...

🎥 FILM NEWS 🎥

  • Anne Hathaway is set to star in Verity, the latest adaptation of a Colleen Hoover film, at Amazon MGM.

  • Apple Original Films has announced a Fleetwood Mac documentary is officially in the works.

  • Nicholas Braun, Stephanie Koenig, Debby Ryan and Mekki Leeper have joined the cast of Famous, a celebrity thriller starring Zac Efron.

🎭 THEATER NEWS 🎭

  • Jeremy Jordan and Lizzy McAlpine are set to lead Floyd Collins on Broadway. Performances begin March 27 at Lincoln Center Theater.

  • The full cast of Redwood, starring Idina Menzel, has been released. De'Adre Aziza, Zachary Noah Piser and Khaila Wilcoxon are among those taking the stage at the Nederlander Theater beginning January 24.

  • Jasmine Amy Rogers, Erich Bergen and Faith Prince are set to star in Boop! The Musical on Broadway. Performances begin March 11 at the Broadhurst Theater.

  • The Great Gatsby has announced Ryan McCartan will take over the role of Jay Gatsby following Jeremy Jordan’s departure in January.

  • The View’s Joy Behar is headed off-Broadway in My First Ex-Husband. Susie Essman, Tovah Feldshuh and Adrienne C. Moore are also set to star. Performances begin January 29 at the MMAC Theater.

  • The Kennedy Center has revealed its cast for its upcoming production of Schmigadoon! Alex Brightman, Ann Harada, Brad Oscar, Sara Chase, Kevin Del Aguila, McKenzie Kurtz, Isabelle McCalla, Javier Muñoz, Emily Skinner and Ryan Vasquez are set to star in the stage production based on the Apple TV+ series that ran for two seasons. Performances begin January 31.

  • Tammy Faye has announced its final performance will take place on December 8, after just 24 previews and 29 regular performances.

🎵 MUSIC NEWS 🎵

  • Jack Antonoff has been named Variety’s Producer of the Decade and will be honored at its 2024 Hitmakers Event next month.

  • Lisa has announced her debut album, Alter Ego, will release on February 28.

  • Charli XCX has announced five arena dates for her 2025 Brat Tour.

  • Stray Kids have announced twenty stadium dates for their <dominATE> Tour, kicking off in Chile next March before headed to North America in May.

  • Post Malone has announced The Big Ass Stadium Tour with Jelly Roll, set to kick off on April 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

  • FLO have announced their Access All Areas Tour, set to kick off in

  • JoJo has announced her Too Much To Say Tour, set to kick off in Nashville, Tennessee on February 22.

  • Inhaler have announced their Open Wide Tour, set to kick off in Toronto, ON on February 28.

📺 TELEVISION NEWS 📺

👍🏽 PICK OF THE WEEK 👍🏽

My pick of the week is the Wicked movie musical, obviously. 

I went to the movie theater on Saturday dressed in my pink and green because pink goes good with green. The movie is based on the long-running Broadway musical that takes place before, during, and after the story of The Wizard of Oz.

I first saw Wicked on Broadway last February, and I instantly fell in love with the story, music, and message. I was super excited to see how the movie adaptation would be, but I had some doubts going into the Wicked film, primarily because this weekend’s release was only part one, with part two set to release next November. I was worried the decision to split the film into two parts wouldn’t make sense, given that the Broadway musical runs just 2 hours and 45 minutes (with an intermission). However, Wicked: Part One clocked in at a whopping 2 hours and 40 minutes. Surprisingly though, it did not drag at all. The movie added depth and context to the story in ways that aren’t possible onstage. For example, we see more of Elphaba’s childhood, her sorcery training with Madame Morrible, and her evolving bond with Glinda, like in the expanded Ozdust Ballroom scene. Now that the story of Wicked is now being told on screen rather than on stage, we also get to see some really cool effects, like how Elphaba’s magic is portrayed and realistic looking CGI animals, which ended up being more comedic to see than anything.

Ariana Grande’s dream role was to play Glinda, having released her own version of the musical’s song “Popular” in 2013, and she gave the role so much justice. Cynthia Erivo, as Elphaba, is nothing short of mind-blowing. She brings a fresh perspective to the role, and as a Black woman, Erivo adds nuance and life to Elphaba’s journey, highlighting the discrimination she faces because of the color of her skin. It’s a powerful choice that adds emotional weight to the story, making Elphaba’s struggle even more relatable. I also have to mention the “Defying Gravity” sequence, which was extended in the movie. I’m pretty sure everyone in the theater was at the edge of their seats for the phenomenal ending.

I don’t want to venture into spoiler territory since the movie just came out two days ago, but there’s one particular moment you’ll want to experience for the first time on the big screen. If you’re a big fan of the musical, do not let anyone spoil it for you. Its one of many moments that makes the film feel like a love letter to theater fans. Whether you’re a musical fan or not, I 100% recommend checking it out. The storytelling, performances, and breathtaking visuals make it worth the trip to the theater. And yes, I’ll definitely be back for a Christmas sing-along screening.

The next edition of Pop Recap will be out on Sunday.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition of the Pop Recap newsletter! If you enjoyed it, make sure to share with a friend. Stay connected with the Pop Recap and Fan Fave community on social media.

xx Katrina