Jeff Goldblum isn't worried about the competition between 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II'.

Jeff Goldblum has played down competition between Wicked and Gladiator II

Jeff Goldblum has played down competition between Wicked and Gladiator II

The 72-year-old star plays The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the hotly-anticipated musical movie and has no concerns about the film being released at the same time as Sir Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel to the historical epic.

Jeff told Deadline at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Wicked': "Nobody's in competition – it's an abundance mentality world with enough to go around."

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He explained that rivals learning to exist together peacefully is a major element of the plot of 'Wicked' which is demonstrated by lead characters Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo).

Goldblum said: "That's part of the theme of our show!"

The 'Jurassic Park' actor was overjoyed to land a part in Jon M. Chu's movie as he had been a fan of 'Wicked' since the stage show premiered on Broadway over two decades ago.

He said: "When I found out about it, I jumped up and down about like a child of ten. I had been a fan of the show. I had met Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel backstage after crying my eyes out. I followed it for 20 years. I heard they were going to make a movie, so I was very excited."

Jeff gushed about Chu's ability to combine elements of stage and screen on the project.

He explained: "He has a way of bringing set-piece musical numbers, dance and singing, to the screen in every bit a delightful way as when you see a Broadway show. And he mixes it up with naturalistic, cinematic, modern nuanced complicated acting.

"Being around Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and being next to them, and just looking into their eyes, that gives you all sorts of life you didn't expect, and you'll never be the same after."

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