After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The film also stars Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.

The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Emmy nominee Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots), and a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Tony nominee Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman).

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.

Wicked is produced by Marc Platt (La La Land, The Little Mermaid), whose films, television shows and stage productions have earned a combined 46 Oscar nominations, 58 Emmy nominations and 36 Tony nominations, and by multiple Tony winner David Stone (Kimberly Akimbo, Next to Normal), with whom Platt produced the blockbuster Wicked stage musical. The executive producers are David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz and Jared LeBoff.

Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is adapted for the screen by the stage production’s book writer Winnie Holzman and by legendary Grammy and Oscar winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The Broadway stage musical is produced by Universal Stage Productions, Marc Platt, the Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Relax and enjoy a selection of iconic songs from across The Legend of Zelda series, including adventurous arrangements from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and many more. This performance was pre-recorded in Tokyo, Japan, and was originally planned as part of Nintendo Live 2024 TOKYO.

Splatoon 3 Live Concert featuring Deep Cut (Nintendo Live 2024 TOKYO)

More Nintendo news:

Princess Peach: Showtime! reveals 4 new transformations

Splatoon 3 ‘Side Order’ DLC coming Feb. 22

Mario vs. Donkey Kong demo on Switch offers 4 levels from 1st world

Nerdvana’s most anticipated video games of 2024

Nintendo reveals new pastel pink Joy-Cons and trailer for Princess Peach: Showtime!

First 2 Golden Sun games come to Nintendo Switch’s Game Boy Advance library

‘Why’s it so familiar?’

Nineties Nickelodeon nuts, notice anyone or anything familiar in the new Real Estate music video for the single “Water Underground?”

The new Real Estate music video takes place in the surreal town of Wellsville from The Adventures of Pete & Pete. The grown-up Petes Wrigley themselves, Michael C. Maronna (aka Big Pete) and Danny Tamerelli (Little Pete), even have substantial cameos in the music video, in addition to serving as executive producers of the project. Fans of the offbeat Nickelodeon series will catch in-jokes and references to many episodes.

Real Estate – “Water Underground” from the New Jersey/New York band’s upcoming album “Daniel” is out Feb. 23, 2024, from Domino Records

All of time and space …

New adventures for the Eighth Doctor, Liv and Helen

Third Doctor Adventures ‘Revolution in Space’ channels ’70s hard sci-fi, colony politics

Michelle Gomez returns as Doctor Who’s Missy in Bad Influence spinoff audio

Big Finish’s Fourth Doctor to encounter the Beevers Master, new Toymaker in ‘Metamorphosis’ audio box set

Sontarans vs Rutans vs the Third Doctor and UNIT

Big Finish adapts vampy 1994 Doctor Who novel Goth Opera for audio

You can now listen to Murray Gold’s new version of the Doctor Who theme for 2023, the series’ 60th anniversary.

David Tennant, formerly the Tenth Doctor, is returning as the Fourteenth Doctor for a series of three specials during the holidays, on Disney+ in the U.S., which will be followed next year by Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor.

In addition, the BBC recently announced its iPlayer service for UK residents would include the most complete new-era and old-school Doctor Who archive there is, including spin-off series and many accessibility features such as subtitles, audio descriptions and sign language enhancements.

The new theme definitely bears a resemblance to Gold’s previous work, used in the era of the Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, as the composer has already hinted … This composition pays homage to his previous work while offering a fresh take on the familiar melody.

The Doctor Who score, of course, has undergone many iterations over the program’s six decades, stating with Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic workshop in 1963.

In the era of the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Doctors, composer Murray Gold contributed extensively to the show’s music. His work established a distinctive style that became synonymous with the modern era of Doctor Who. Segun Akinola continued the tradition for the 13th Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), who recently finished her stint in the TARDIS and marked five years of the role.

In addition to the new series theme, BBC has also unveiled the Fifteenth Doctor’s theme:

Doctor Who theme music holds a special place in the hearts of fans worldwide. It has evolved over the years, capturing the essence of each Doctor’s era and helping to define the show’s iconic identity. The upcoming 60th anniversary celebrations promise to be a thrilling continuation of this sci-fi musical legacy.

What do you think of the new Doctor Who theme tune? Share your comments with us below.

All of time and space …

New adventures for the Eighth Doctor, Liv and Helen

Third Doctor Adventures ‘Revolution in Space’ channels ’70s hard sci-fi, colony politics

Michelle Gomez returns as Doctor Who’s Missy in Bad Influence spinoff audio

Big Finish’s Fourth Doctor to encounter the Beevers Master, new Toymaker in ‘Metamorphosis’ audio box set

Sontarans vs Rutans vs the Third Doctor and UNIT

Big Finish adapts vampy 1994 Doctor Who novel Goth Opera for audio

At last, a Thrawn theme suitable for a Grand Admiral of the Empire.

And so artistically done …

After following in the footsteps of the great John Williams and scoring the stirring themes of Star Wars animation in Clone Wars and Rebels, it’s only fitting that Kevin Kiner should create an iconic Grand Admiral Thrawn theme to enshrine the red-eyed, blue-skinned Chiss master tactician in the annals of soundtrack fame alongside Darth Vader, Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine and Kylo Ren.

Kiner is an American composer and conductor known for his work in film, television and video games. He has composed music for various genres, including orchestral, electronic, and hybrid styles.

Kiner is particularly recognized for his contributions to the world of genre television, including his work on shows such as Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, The Bad Batch, Tales of the Jedi as well as tense thrillers like Narcos: Mexico.

Ahsoka Tano, the beloved Star Wars character, has a distinct and memorable theme composed by Kiner that has evolved over time from her appearances in The Clone Wars and Rebels to her own eponymous series on Disney+. Kiner’s haunting, recurring leitmotif captures her courage, determination and growth and reflects her unique journey as a Jedi and beyond, showcasing both strength and vulnerability. It also factors into the moody closing credits theme of the Ahsoka series.

Now, the Imperial menace of the Grand Admiral Thrawn theme has joined Kiner’s portfolio in the Ahsoka series score as well.

What do you think of the Thrawn theme, or Kiner’s other recent work on Ahsoka?

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

Omega tries to regroup with Crosshair in Bad Batch final season clip

Avatar, Indiana Jones, Picard win big at 2023 Saturn Awards

Final season of The Bad Batch starts Feb. 21 with 3 episodes on Disney+

Filoni to be feted at Saturn Awards

‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ movie filming this year; Ahsoka Season 2 also in development

Dark Horse Comics planning more Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures this spring

Other than the great John Williams, when you think of Star Wars music, you probably think of Kevin Kiner — from his haunting leitmotif for wayward Jedi Ahsoka Tano in The Clone Wars film and its TV Clone Wars follow-up and, later, Rebels to, now, his extension of that work into the live-action realm of Ahsoka.

Now you can listen here to the ending credits theme of Ahsoka … You’ll definitely recognize the title character’s signature theme from Clone Wars and Rebels, but — like the former Jedi herself — it has matured, evolved, in unexpected ways.

Star Wars: Ahsoka episodes appear on Disney+ Tuesday evenings at 6 p.m. Pacific Time through Oct. 3. Set after the fall of the Empire, the series follows the former Jedi Knight as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy …

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

Omega tries to regroup with Crosshair in Bad Batch final season clip

Avatar, Indiana Jones, Picard win big at 2023 Saturn Awards

Final season of The Bad Batch starts Feb. 21 with 3 episodes on Disney+

Filoni to be feted at Saturn Awards

‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ movie filming this year; Ahsoka Season 2 also in development

Dark Horse Comics planning more Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures this spring

Sergio Elisondo is an accomplished musician, composer, and performer. His band, Sergio and the Holograms, consists of him playing alongside digital projections of himself. The performance is unique, as Sergio plays a variety of instruments covering a wide swath of video game music including tunes from Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario Bros., Mega Man, and many more. He performed on stage at the Game On Expo 2023 event in downtown Phoenix this past weekend.

When not performing, he is working on pushing the boundaries of retro gaming technology. Sergio successfully funded a Kickstarter project to create an album, You Are Error, with several music videos on a Nintendo Entertainment System cartridge. He also composed music for 8-bit NES games Ninja I & II and other retro game projects.

Sergio sat down with Nerdvana to talk about the limitations of classic gaming systems, advances in technology, and his hopes for future projects.

(The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Nerdvana: Talking about your Kickstarter, why did you want to push a type of format like an NES cartridge of all things?

Sergio: It was niche, definitely niche, but it was something that I found myself being passionate about where I wanted to go further and try something different. Something new to the community that people can be both amazed by, but have fun with.

I had the absolute fortune and pleasure to work with the great mind, Shiru [a veteran NES programmer], and then working with Brian from retroUSB, another amazing mind for the hardware. So once it [the album] came together, then we’re like “Okay, that worked out really well. What could we do next?” Video? Real, full motion video and audio from the NES? Slow motion? Pause, play, like add all these crazy features!

Ultimately I feel passionate about this particular hardware, this console, this way of coding games that I wanted to be a part of and bring some positive change. So that’s just what it was. It was just out of passion and curiosity.

Nerdvana: Is that what drove you to work on your other project Ninja I & II?

Sergio: Same thing! At that point in time I wanted to get into composing more for games. The individual who was putting the game together at the time was like “Hey, why don’t you write music for this game?” So we did that project and it went well. So then I asked “Can I work with you again, but this time I’ll pay you and we will make a part two of this [Ninja] but I will level design more of this and still composing?” So we did just that!

This year I’m doing the composition for the next retroUSB Christmas [NES] cart. I also did music for Block’Em Sock’Em for John “The Immortal” Hancock. I did it for Sega Genesis and recently we just did the Super Nintendo version.

Nerdvana: With the breadth of tools that you work with and the limitations that come with every console or format, does it help your creativity or inspire you more?

Sergio: It actually sparks my creativity even more because now I have to become more creative to get the sound that I want. So then I figure out new ways of achieving a specific sound, a specific chirp, a bleepyness, or something.

hUGETracker [Game Boy music software] surprisingly, some notes have good decay on it, so that’s something I didn’t have to worry about. Versus something like FamiTracker [NES/Famicom music software] I do a volume decrease to emulate decay. I have to make it up. So those kinds of limitations changes the way I write a little bit.

Nerdvana: Let’s talk a little bit about your performance and how you set the projections up. It’s not uncommon to see YouTubers mashup themselves playing different instruments, but it is uncommon to see someone replicate it on stage. What drove you to do that as opposed to say, a traditional band?

Sergio: I played with a lot of bands before, a lot of punk bands, worked with different artists. So I’ve been around that environment in that regard. But at some point, I think around 2014, 2015, I preferred to do what I do for my Youtube stuff just by myself, because I don’t have to coordinate. That was the plus was I didn’t have to coordinate with other musicians. The negative to it though was I lose that camaraderie of like, you’re in it together.

The hologram kind of stemmed from that idea. Ultimately I felt like, how can I take this entertainment that I’ve created on Youtube to people? I had to do a lot of research and development. Took me about a year. Massive process! I had to get a special polymer, a special film from Korea that was going to help capture the images, specific levels of lumens on the projectors so they can be seen. There was so many steps along the way to make it happen.

Nerdvana: Have you made improvements to do more or just make it easier to deal with?

Sergio: Technically, I could do a lot with it. I have these wild ideas, I just need to find the time, right? The revamp of the design of the hologram has allowed me to just now wrap it up, ship it, and then I fly to the location.

Early on it was a Jeep with a massive U-Haul behind it, like a trailer hitch attached, and these massive, heavy acrylic screens laid down in the back. I had my amps, all kinds of stuff, it was wild! (laughs)

Nerdvana: You’re doing composing, performing, writing, and development. Where do you want your direction to be going in these next few years?

Sergio: I definitely want to grow the publishing, the release of games. Still be a part of other people’s projects, helping them achieve their dreams. As far as performance goes, I still see myself you know, going out performing. I still see myself doing all that I’m doing. I don’t feel burned out yet. I’ve got a lot in me still, I’ve got a lot to burn. (laughs)

Sergio Elisondo’s work can be found on the Sergio and the Holograms Youtube channel. His game collaboration Ninja I & II is available on NES or digital ROM, and slated for release on the Nintendo Swtich later this year.

Shihori is a prolific singer, songwriter, and composer with hundreds of credits to her name. She has written numerous songs for artists such as Momoiro Clover Z and Nana Mizuki, as well as for anime series Fairy Tale, Princess Connect! Re: Dive, Tomodachi Game and many more. She performed at the 2023 Game On Expo over the weekend in downtown Phoenix.

Born with deafness in one ear, a form of dwarfism, and Asperger’s Syndrome, Shihori is no stranger to overcoming adversity and personal struggles. Her music conveys messages of self-acceptance and inner strength within a pop genre, especially in her latest album Mutation. She has recently collaborated with artists such as Zaid Tabani and performed at the Evolution tournament series this year.

Shihori sat down with Nerdvana over the weekend to discuss her career, challenges, and hopes for her future as a music artist.

(The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Nerdvana: If someone were to approach you today, how would you describe yourself to them?

Shihori: I’m a singer/songwriter from Japan. I’ve written many anime songs, game songs, idol songs, and music. I came to the U.S. in 2018. New York first, then moved to LA about three years ago.

Nerdvana: What prompted you to move? [from Japan]

Shihori: There are so many reasons. First of all, I have Asperger’s Syndrome, so I couldn’t get along with other people and was really kind of a difficult child for everyone. So I was bullied. It was really hard to get along with people. But my mom used to tell me that “You’ll probably be more successful in America.” So I started to think maybe I wanted to move to the U.S. some day, when I was little, but I wanted to be successful in Japan.

I succeeded certainly as a songwriter, but it was always somehow very hard for me to succeed as an artist for very, very long years. That was really frustrating. Although I was really happy that people appreciated my talent as a songwriter, but I wasn’t satisfied because my focus was always to be a singer.

Nerdvana: So you went to New York first, now you’re in Los Angeles. Why did you go from one coast to another? Was it just a need for a change?

Shihori: Well at first I didn’t know anything about America, so I didn’t even know where New York was! (laughs) But I had this image from Glee when the characters say “Oh let’s go to New York, let’s aim for New York.” and thought “Oh my god, that sounds really nice!” I went there, but it was very tough and most of the time I was there, it was [during] COVID.

Nerdvana: How was that? Being away from your original home and in some place entirely new to you?

Shihori: Yeah it was really scary! It was really bad. Also I was in a very bad relationship at the time unfortunately. So I lost all my confidence at some point and I’d almost given up my career. I lost all my energy. Somehow I left there, still during COVID times, and started to work with people online.

I found out that people, music producers or people in the pop market industry are all in Los Angeles. I couldn’t find friends, like artist friends, with similar styles to me in New York. I found out my genre was very different. So no pop people, or very few, just Broadway or jazz or hip-hop or classical. So it was hard to find friends. I moved [to LA] and now have many friends there!

Nerdvana: With your latest song “Savior,” it seems like there’s a little bit of influence from COVID times: the downtime and finding your inner strength. To push and keep going. Is that what you’re trying to communicate in your music?

Shihori: Yes! Because through my experience, I really learned the importance of self-acceptance. I found out actually that many people, or everybody, is struggling to love themselves. So [I thought] “Wow! This is really universal everywhere. Japan, America, everywhere!” I think I was born to spread this message. This is a mission to me, so I’ve been telling this message over and over in different ways.

Nerdvana: In your last album Mutation, there are a lot of genres across the songs. In comparison to your previous work, was this a way for you to feel out things and experiment?

Shihori: I had a plan, but it didn’t go as I planned right? (laughs) I didn’t expect this trouble and didn’t think it wouldn’t go well. So I needed to find my way. A “Shihori” style, borderless. I think you could see how I mutated from like a pure Japanese version, to Americanizing, but a “Shihori” version. So that’s what Mutation means.

Nerdvana: You’ve had a lot of success as a songwriter. Do you feel like you will reach a point of success where you’re satisfied or do you always want to keep fighting and pushing?

Shihori: Definitely want to keep fighting. I’m gonna keep changing, keep evolving, or mutating! (laughs) I think that’s one of the purposes for all human beings. You want to sleep, you want to eat, you want to have sex. I think you want to grow. If you don’t do that, you will kind of diminish. It’s really important to take risks and change yourself.

Shihori is preparing for a new single to release this year. Her current music works may be found on Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, or her YouTube channel.