Norfolk Tulips grew more than nine million flowers in Terrington Marsh for blockbuster movie Wicked

Tulip growers in West Norfolk have seen their bright and colourful flowers feature in a Hollywood blockbuster film.

If you have already seen Wicked, the film adaptation of the successful musical since it came to cinemas on Friday, did you realise that the tulip fields featured at the beginning and end of the movie were actually the ones in Terrington Marsh?

Norfolk Tulips, owned by Mark and Susanne Eves, was first approached by Universal Studios location scouts in June 2022 after they had seen a viral TikTok video of the tulip fields that were opened to the public in aid of Hillington-based The Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House.

Director John M Chu paid a visit to the site and explained his vision for the film to Mr Eves.

Then, the family-run business got to work with planting more than nine million bulbs in October 2022, ready for filming in April last year.

Two fields of tulips, one completely yellow and the other multicoloured, were grown especially in Terrington Marsh where the soil is heavier.

Susanne said: “He [Chu] discussed with Mark what way he wanted the rows to go to reflect the sunrise and the sunset and how to get the best images.

“There was quite a lot of detail that went into it, so it was interesting to see it on the screen.”

More than 400 members of the cast and crew descended onto the fields for around four days to film scenes for both the first and second parts of the film - with the latter due to be released next year.

“It was done very quickly, as soon as the filming was done it was like nothing had ever happened,” Susanne said.

She added: “We only got a sneak peek at the beginning and end of the film. I believe there will be more in the second part based on what we know has been filmed.

“Everybody thinks nine million tulips were planted and it was over in a nanosecond, but no, there is more to come.”

Mark and Susanne, along with their daughter Olivia, were asked to feature as munchkin farmers in the second part of the film.

Mrs Eves explained that Chu spotted Mark and insisted he wanted him to play one of the farmers and then asked if he had any family that could get involved.

“We had been at the studios that afternoon and we were there for about five hours having costumes fitted and our makeup done because munchkins have a certain look,” Susanne said.

“It was a surreal experience for us, we had our own changing rooms and makeup crew.”

They will feature in the movie along with the likes of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who play Elphaba and Glinda respectively - although the family did not get to meet the stars while filming.

While shooting took place back in the fields, Mark and Susanne carried on with their daily lives.

Mrs Eves said: “We knew it [filming] was going on down there and we carried on with our daily business. We would go and have a peek and meet with the directors.

“We were still working with them because it was our crop and we were the experts on that, while they were experts on the film.

“It was a very interesting experience. There were a lot of sleepless nights in the lead-up to filming making sure the crop was looking its best, then it was over in a blink of an eye.”

Norfolk Tulips opens one of its fields each year to raise money for Tapping House - attracting both locals and tourists to the colourful flower fields.

The business has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity.