Cynthia Erivo's 'No Place Like Home' in Wicked: For Good Almost Sounded Like 80s Rock

The highly anticipated cinematic release of Wicked: For Good features a new anthem that nearly took a wild detour into vintage radio territory. Composer Stephen Schwartz recently told Entertainment Weekly that the song 'No Place Like Home,' performed by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, went through a radical stylistic evolution before hitting the big screen on January 1, 2026.

Why No Place Like Home Avoided the St. Elmo's Fire Vibe

When the decision was made to split the stage musical into 2 films, it opened up space for deeper character development through new music. Schwartz's early demos for Elphaba's new solo had a drive that director Jon M. Chu felt was a bit too close to an 80s rock song. Specifically, the team wanted to avoid tipping over into the sound of St. Elmo's Fire. While Schwartz admitted that 80s rock is "very cool," the creative duo ultimately decided it didn't belong in that specific moment of the movie.

Streamlining Elphaba's Journey

The evolution of the song also meant cutting significant portions to maintain the film's pace. A lengthy solo intro was trimmed down to just one spoken line of dialogue in a cave scene. Additionally, a sequence where Elphaba returns to her childhood home was scrapped to focus on the core emotional beat of her helping escaping animals. These changes highlight the rigorous process of adapting a beloved stage property for a global film audience.