Magical 'Munchkinland' set appears for Wicked film starring Ariana Grande in Buckinghamshire
Drone footage shows the vast scale of the Munchkinland set built for Wicked
A magical 'Munchkinland' village has popped up on a remote farm in preparation for the filming of the big-screen version of Wicked.
The huge set for the adaptation of the hit Broadway show can be seen being brought to life with cranes and scaffolding and hundreds of workers on site.
Together, they are transforming the site in the village of Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire into the fantastical backdrop to the film, which follows the life of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, from The Wizard of Oz.
Colourful thatched cottages with the famous yellow brick road winding through can be seen in the footage.
It is thought the section with the multi-coloured straw huts will become the town of 'Rush Margins' where Elphaba grew up.
A huge structure being held up by scaffolding and towering over diggers below shows the scale of the operation.
Tradespeople can be seen building the world that will become the magical land of Oz.
The film, being produced by Universal Studios, will be released in two parts, with the first due to be released on 27 November 2024.
Jon M Chu, the film's director, has booked an all-star cast for the adaptation.
Popstar Ariana Grande is starring as Galinda the Good Witch with Cynthia Erivo playing Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Other famous faces making the line-up will be Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Elphaba's love interest, Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible.
Earlier this month, Ms Grande said the crew was halfway through filming.
In an Instagram post on 3 April, she said she was “savouring every millisecond left with my Galinda (although she’ll be with me irrevocably, forever). She shows me so many new things every day."
She added: "I am so grateful… to be here in Oz where every day is a life-changing one. To be feeling, learning and growing so much at such a disarming speed, to feel so much love around me, to begin each day before the sun is up and to end after it set, to hold my brilliant twin flame and sister Cynthia’s beautiful, green hands every day."
She also posted pictures of herself and co-star Ms Erivo with the caption "up to no good".
A planning permission application was submitted to Buckinghamshire Council by Western Sky Limited.
The application is for a "temporary change of use of land for film-making with associated film unit base and car parking" at Vicarage Farm, Horton Road.
It says the production company is "actively exploring the option of including work experience opportunities on the production for students of media and film at Tring School".
It adds: "Furthermore, the production company will make contact with the local colleges and schools that offer film and media courses and offer guided tours on the site during filming days.
"The production company will also offer to attend these local colleges and schools to give educational seminars and workshops on film-making, using the production at Vicarage Farm as an example."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know