Nine million tulips were planted for 'Wicked'
Nine million tulips were planted for the musical fantasy film Wicked.
Variety reported that production designer Nathan Crowley aligned with director Jon Chu's vision of doing everything on camera. His proposal was initially questioned and was asked to opt for visual effects, but he insisted.
"I said, ’I have to do this, and you have to go with me.' And they did,” Crowley is quoted as saying.
The movie's grand production was shot in 17 stages and on four backlots, two of which were the size of four American football fields. Among them was the Munchkin Village in Munchkinland, which was nestled among a field of tulips.
Crowley said he spoke with his location manager Adam Richards, saying they have to grow tulips and learn about tulip farming.
"They found a tulip farmer, Mark Eves, in Norfolk, England, who offered to help plant and grow the bulbs—all nine million," he said.
Crowley told Elle Magazine that he thought one million tulip heads were needed but Eves told him it was nine million.
The rows of vibrant tulips made for glorious wide cinematographic shots, care of Alice Brooks.
“Imagine inky violets, fiery oranges, and sunshine yellows alongside the classic reds,” Crowley said. “It’s a celebration of color.”
The opening number, “No One Mourns the Wicked,” is set in Munchkin Village, and the tulips serve as a painterly backdrop.
With production already over, Eves's farm Belmont Farms will open to the public in April 2025 to allow visitors to experience Munchkinland, according to Variety.
In an Instagram post on Nov. 22, Norfork Tulips took pride in being the hosts of Munchkinland, sharing photos of the tulips.
Crowley is also known for his work on Christopher Nolan's epic sci-fi Interstellar, planting 500 acres of corn.
Wicked, based on the musical of the same title, starred Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
The story revolves around Elphaba (Erivo), a young woman with unusual green skin who has yet to discover her true power, and Glinda (Grande), a popular young female gilded by privilege and ambition who has yet to discover her true heart.
After meeting as students in the fantastical Land of Oz, Elphaba and Glinda unexpectedly form a close bond. Their friendship, however, gets tested after an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz himself, even as their lives take very different paths.
Wicked: Part One opened in local cinemas on Nov. 20, while its second part is slated for 2025.
