Jon M. Chu to Guest Judge 'WICKED Night' on DANCING WITH THE STARS
Episode 6 will air on October 21 on ABC.
By: Josh Sharpe Oct. 15, 2025
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Jon M. Chu, director of Wicked and Wicked: For Good, has been confirmed as a guest judge for the upcoming "Wicked Night" episode of Dancing with the Stars. Episode 6 will air on October 21 on ABC, arriving just a month before the release of Wicked: For Good this November.
Viewers can expect contestants to perform some of the most beloved songs from the musical, which may include "Popular," "Defying Gravity," and "Dancing Through Life." Chu will serve as a judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli.
Other Season 34 themes include the return of Disney Night, Dedication Night, and Halloween Night, alongside new additions including TikTok Night, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night, Prince Night and a 20th Birthday Party as the show celebrates its milestone 20th anniversary.
“Dancing with the Stars” airs Tuesdays (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT/PDT, 7:00-9:00 p.m. CDT), simulcast LIVE across both ABC and Disney+ in local time zones, and next day on Hulu. The show is produced in front of a live audience by BBC Studios.
Theme Nights Schedule
- Oct. 21: Wicked Night
- Oct. 28: Halloween Night
- Nov. 4: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Night
- Nov. 11: 20th Birthday Party
- Nov. 18: Prince Night (Semi-Finals)
- Nov. 25: Finale
After each episode, viewers can go behind the curtain with the “‘Dancing with the Stars’ Official Podcast.” Hosted by Season 33 Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy champion Joey Graziadei, the show brings exclusive cast interviews, special guests, behind-the-scenes insights and expert breakdowns of the performances people can’t stop discussing. Tune in Thursdays on Disney+ and Hulu.
“Dancing with the Stars” is the hit series cohosted by Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough in which celebrities are paired with trained ballroom dancers to compete in themed choreographed dance routines that are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough.
In addition to Wicked: For Good, Chu's other forthcoming projects include a film of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a biopic about pop star Britney Spears, a movie adaptation of the video game Split Fiction, and an animated musical of Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go! Chu is also set to executive-produce a spin-off series based on Crazy Rich Asians, following the 2018 movie, which he directed. His directional credits also include the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights, which hit theaters in 2021.
Wicked: For Good, the conclusion of the film adaptation, picks up after the 2024 blockbuster. Elphaba, now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard. Led by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, the movie debuts in theaters on November 21, 2025.
Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas
