As fans gear up to catch the first part of the eagerly awaited film adaptation of the international hit musical Wicked, William Morrow (an imprint of Harper Collins) has announced the release date for author Gregory Maguire's new prequel  to his novel Wicked, on which the musical and the film are based. 

The Wicked prequel is titled Elphie and chronicles the formative years of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West. It will be available beginning March 25, 2025.

The novel reveals how young Elphaba, marked from birth by her green skin, navigates a world shaped by her mother's promiscuity and her father's piety. It touches upon her early encounters with the marginalized animal populations of Oz, her struggles with familial jealousy, and her educational adventures leading to Shiz University, where she meets the charismatic Galinda.

Get a first look at the cover for Elphie below.

This will be Maguire's eighth novel set in the Oz universe, narratively preceding his initial four-book series, as well as the sequel trilogy Maracoor, which centers on the life and times of Elphaba's granddaughter, Rain.

The hit Broadway production of Maguire's Wicked continues to play to sell-out crowds at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. The first part of the two-part movie adaptation of the Wicked musical will be in theatres November 22.

For more information, visit HarperCollins.com.