Theater owners attending Universal's presentation in Las Vegas are the first members of the public to get a glimpse of the continuing story of the Witches of Oz.

Like a seed dropped by a skybird, “Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo and director Jon M. Chu returned (presumably by bubble) to Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners.

When Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and director Jon M. Chu took the stage in Las Vegas last April to tease “Wicked” months before its theatrical release, there was a cautious optimism that the long-anticipated film would be a hit.