Universal Pictures and Marc Platt, who both produced the stage musical, announced the film adaptation in 2012. After a long course of development and multiple delays, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chu was hired to direct, with Erivo and Grande cast in 2021. The adaptation was split into two parts to avoid cutting plot points and expand the characters' journeys and relationships. Principal photography began in England in December 2022, was interrupted in July 2023 by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and was resumed and completed in January 2024.
In the Land of Oz, the citizens of Munchkinland celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda the Good joins the festivities and tells the Witch's story: born from an affair between the wife of Governor Thropp and a traveling salesman, she was ostracized from birth due to her unnaturally green skin and suffered a troubled childhood ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). When asked if she and the Witch were friends, Glinda reveals they knew each other from their school days.
Years earlier, Elphaba Thropp arrives at Shiz University to see off her paraplegic younger sister Nessarose ("Dear Old Shiz"). Madame Morrible, Shiz's Dean of Sorcery Studies, offers to privately tutor Elphaba after witnessing an unintentional display of her magical abilities. Elphaba accepts in the hopes that it will allow her to meet Oz's ruler, the Wizard, and be "de-greenified" ("The Wizard and I"). To her discontent, she is forced to room with bubbly Galinda Upland; the two clash constantly ("What Is This Feeling?"). One night, Elphaba follows Dr. Dillamond, a talking Goat who faces discrimination as one of Shiz's last Animal professors, to a meeting of Animals off-campus. Dillamond reveals other Animals are losing their civil rights and ability to speak, but Elphaba assures him the Wizard will set things right ("Something Bad").
Rebellious transfer student Fiyero Tigelaar arranges to take a group of students to the Ozdust Ballroom ("Dancing Through Life"). Galinda convinces Boq Woodsman, a happy-go-lucky Munchkin with a crush on her, to invite Nessarose so she can accompany Fiyero. At the Ozdust, Galinda learns from a begrudging Morrible that she will be allowed to join the sorcery seminar at Elphaba’s request. Elphaba arrives and is ridiculed for wearing a hat that Galinda gave her as a backhanded gift. A guilty Galinda dances with her ("Ozdust Duet") and later gives her a makeover ("Popular").
Dr. Dillamond announces that Animals are no longer allowed to teach at Shiz and is forcefully removed from his classroom. His replacement, the unscrupulous Professor Nikidik, attempts live experimentation on a frightened lion cub, but Elphaba's magic spins poppy dust over the room, putting everyone except herself and Fiyero to sleep. They escape campus and release the cub into the forest. After sharing a moment, Elphaba laments that Fiyero prefers Galinda over her ("I'm Not That Girl").
Elphaba receives an invitation to meet the Wizard, who has heard of her powers from Morrible. Galinda, now shortening her name to "Glinda" in honor of Dillamond's mispronunciation of it, accompanies her. They ride a train to Oz's capital, the Emerald City, where they affirm their friendship while sightseeing ("One Short Day"). After being introduced to the Wizard ("A Sentimental Man"), Elphaba says she wishes to help the Animals instead of changing her skin color. Morrible arrives to witness Elphaba and the Wizard's first meeting, and the two encourage Elphaba to read from the sacred Grimmerie spellbook. She casts a levitation spell that makes the Wizard's monkey guards painfully sprout wings, allowing the delighted Wizard and Morrible to use them as spies. Elphaba realizes that they are the ones orchestrating the persecution of the Animals, and that the Wizard is a fraud with no magical power. Horrified, Elphaba steals the Grimmerie and flees.
Glinda follows Elphaba and implores her to reconcile with Morrible and the Wizard, but Elphaba decides to stop their plans. She bids an emotional farewell to Glinda, who supports her but is apprehended by guards. Elphaba repeats the levitation spell on a broom and escapes the Emerald City. Morrible warns Oz that Elphaba is a "wicked witch”; the students of Shiz evacuate campus, Fiyero flees the school grounds with his Horse Feldspur,[8] and Governor Thropp suffers a heart attack as he and Nessarose receive the news. Meanwhile, Elphaba flies west, leaving Glinda behind ("Defying Gravity").
Andy Nyman as Governor Thropp, Elphaba and Nessarose's father and the Governor of Munchkinland
Courtney-Mae Briggs as Mrs. Thropp, Elphaba and Nessarose's mother, who dies after giving birth to Nessarose
Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, the headmistress of Shiz University
Aaron Teoh as Avaric, Fiyero's friend
Sharon D. Clarke as the voice of Dulcibear, a talking Bear who helps deliver Elphaba during her birth and acts as a nanny to the Thropp family
Madeline Wilson was the movement artist for Dulcibear[17]
Jenna Boyd as the voice of Wolf Doctor, who helps deliver Elphaba during her birth[20]
Sarah Mardel was the movement artist for Wolf Doctor[17]
Colin Michael Carmichael as Professor Nikidik, a professor at Shiz University
Robin Guiver performs the role of Chistery, the leader of the Wizard's monkey army and Elphaba's favorite winged monkey.[17]Stephen Stanton[citation needed] voices Fiyero's Horse Feldspur.[8] Multiple cameos take place during the "One Short Day" sequence. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda in the stage musical, portray the leading members of the Emerald City Players. Former Fiyero replacement, Michael McCorry Rose, appears as the Wiz-O-Mania Narrator.[21] Book writer and screenwriter Winnie Holzman exclaims, "He can read it [the Grimmerie]! He must be a Wizard!" in a cameo during Wiz-O-Mania, and composer Stephen Schwartz cameos as the Emerald City Guard, who announces to Elphaba and Glinda that "the wizard will see you now".[22]Adam James and Alice Fearn appear briefly as Galinda's parents, nicknamed "Popsicle" and "Momsie" by Galinda.[23]Shaun Prendergast appears as Shiz President and Cherida Strallen as the Shiz Librarian.[24]West End actors including Kerry Ellis,[25]Luke Bayer, Georgina Onuorah and Dianne Pilkington make cameos.[26]Dorothy Gale, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto make a brief cameo appearance at the beginning of the film. The Cowardly Lion makes a minor appearance as a cub, having been saved by Elphaba from a test at the Shiz University.
In a 2009 interview, Maguire stated that he had sold the rights to ABC to make an independent non-musical TV adaptation of Wicked. It would not be based on Holzman's script.[27] On January 9, 2011, it was reported by Entertainment Weekly that ABC would be teaming up with Salma Hayek and her production company to create a TV miniseries of Wicked based solely on Maguire's novel. No further information, such as casting, had been revealed yet.[28]
Chenoweth, Menzel, Lea Michele, who portrayed Dorothy Gale in Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return, and Amy Adams were all rumored to be potential leads, Holzman and Schwartz were rumored as potential writers, and J. J. Abrams, Rob Marshall, James Mangold, and Ryan Murphy were all mentioned as possible candidates for director.[29] In December 2012, following the success of Les Misérables,[30][31]Marc Platt, also a producer of the stage version, announced the film was going ahead,[32] later confirming the film was aiming for a 2016 release.[33] After a long development, Universal announced in 2016 that the film would be released in theatres on December 20, 2019, with Stephen Daldry directing.[34] By 2024, Holzman was credited as the sole writer.[35] In August 2024, it was determined by the Writers Guild of America that Dana Fox collaborated with Holzman on the screenplay and that Craig Mazin contributed additional literary material.[1]
Pre-production
In May 2017, Schwartz stated that the film would feature "at least two" new songs.[36] On August 31, 2018, Universal put the film on hold, due to production scheduling, and gave the film adaptation of Cats the release date formerly held by the film.[37] On February 8, 2019, Universal announced a new release date of December 22, 2021, for the Wicked film.[38] On April 1, 2020, Universal put the film on hold once again due to Universal shifting release dates amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and gave Sing 2 the 2021 release date.[39] On October 20, 2020, it was announced that Daldry had left the production due to scheduling conflicts.[40] On February 2, 2021, it was announced that Jon M. Chu would take over as director. Serving as executive producers would be Schwartz, Holzman, Fox, David Nicksay and Jared LeBoff.[41] In August, Alice Brooks was confirmed as the film's cinematographer, after working with Chu before on the film version of In the Heights.[42]
The film's creative team (left to right from top left) includes choreographer Christopher Scott, cinematographer Alice Brooks, costume designer Paul Tazewell, and make-up artist Frances Hannon.
On preparing for the role of Elphaba, Erivo told Variety, while expressing her desire to see the stage version on Broadway again before filming: "I'm relearning everything ... I want to go and see it again. ... When I get to New York at some point I'll pop in and see the show again, that'll be my fifth time." She also said at that time that discussions were underway on what the film will look like, particularly its production design and visual style, and confirmed the hiring of Paul Tazewell as costume designer. Her request to him for Elphaba's costume when she becomes the Wicked Witch of the West involved "a Jean Paul Gaultier collection with a 'new world, kind of gilded age' feeling".[54] Erivo also contributed to several other parts of Elphaba's appearance, notably her hair and nails: "I knew I wanted [Elphaba] to have micro braids and I wanted her to have a full set [of nails] for two reasons: [they are] a nod to my culture and a nod to the world of Oz." She also stated: "I imagined that her nails were a part of her magic—that they just grew out of her and she hadn't yet discovered why, like her green skin."[55]
Filming
Principal photography was set to commence in June 2022 at the Sky Studios Elstree facilities in the United Kingdom.[56] In July 2021, Stephen Schwartz indicated there were plans to film in Atlanta that year.[57] On April 26, 2022, Chu announced the adaptation would be filmed in two parts, Wicked and Wicked: For Good, saying:[58]
As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of 'Wicked' into a single film without doing some real damage to it ... As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years. We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one 'Wicked' movie but two! With more space, we can tell the story of 'Wicked' as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys for these beloved characters.
In June 2022, Stephen Schwartz confirmed that a new song would be written for one of the two films:[59]
We found it very difficult to get past 'Defying Gravity' without a break ... That song is written specifically to bring a curtain down, and whatever scene to follow it without a break just seemed hugely anti-climactic ... Even as a very long single movie, it required us cutting or omitting things that we wanted to include and that we think fans of the show and the story will appreciate. What we have discussed is that changes need to be 'additive', to use (producer) Marc Platt's term. They need to add something to the story or the characters. They can't just be changes to do something different. I feel confident that by the time the movie is made, if we all continue to have the same degree of input, I could have a conversation with anyone who has a question about any of the changes made from the stage show and justify why I think it's better for the movie.
On July 18, it was revealed that with the filming process settled at the newly-built Sky Studios Elstree in Borehamwood, England, rehearsals would begin in August with principal photography beginning in November.[60] On December 9, Chu confirmed on Twitter that filming had begun.[61]
On September 23, Planning Statement, in support of a planning application submitted on behalf of Western Sky Limited, indicated that outdoor filming would occur at a site being developed at Ivinghoe Turf[62] in Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire, UK. Early into filming, paparazzi from The Daily Mail were seen flying over the Munchkinland set by hang glider with GoPro cameras attached to their feet as Ariana Grande and the cast and crew filmed "No One Mourns the Wicked", the opening number of the first film. The first pictures of Grande in costume as Glinda were leaked online and sparked anticipation. Grande said in an interview for VMan: "I think we were very spoiled to have done this with [Chu]. It felt like a teeny, little secret student thing– it's intimacy ... It felt so small and private until all of a sudden, we were outside, and the Daily Mail was hand gliding[sic] over our set".[63][64][65]
Shooting was planned to take place between April 6 and July 14, 2023, with principal photography set to wrap with the "One Short Day" sequence on July 25.[66][67] Filming was suspended from July 13 to November 8 due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[68] Filming resumed on January 24, 2024, and concluded on January 26. The song vocals were recorded live on set at the insistence of Erivo and Grande.[69][70]Academy Award-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes collaborated with Chu on the recordings of the actors' vocals, using a variation of the same recording techniques that were implemented on Les Misérables.[71][72][73][74] Chu also cited Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook as inspiration for the large-scale sets and practical effects, including nine million colorful tulips planted on location to surround the Munchkinland set, a paved yellow brick road with real mud and a life-size art deco-inspired train to transport Elphaba and Glinda to the Emerald City, which he called the "Unlimited One".[75][76] Chu also cited the 1998 films Pleasantville and The Truman Show as influences on how both Wicked and Wicked: For Good thematically portray the Land of Oz, saying, "It helps create this idea of the rebelliousness that this new younger generation are discovering ... How far will that take everybody in Oz throughout the course of the whole story of both movies? It's an awakening of a generation. You start to see the truth about things that maybe you were taught differently."[77]
Although the film was described by media sources as a prequel to the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz, it was not allowed legally to be considered as such. The filmmakers had to toe a fine line between calling the film to mind but not infringing upon it. To that end, Universal had a copyright expert on set to ensure no infringement occurred. The production team worked under the constraint of abiding by the stipulations set forth by Warner Bros., the legal owner of the rights to iconic elements of the 1939 film (via its ownership of Turner Entertainment which possesses the Pre-1986 MGM film library), including the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland. Therefore, Universal was unable to use them nor any original character likenesses from the 1939 film. This extended to the green of the Wicked Witch's skin for which Cynthia Erivo and SFX makeup artist David Stoneman used what they considered a sufficiently different shade dubbed "Cynthia Green" (named after Erivo).[78] Additionally, the studio was unable to use Margaret Hamilton's signature chin mole of the Wicked Witch of the West nor could they imploy the yellow brick road's swirl design for Munchkinland.[79] The expert also ensured that the Emerald City was not too close in appearance to the original Emerald City in the 1939 film.
Post-production and visual effects
On February 6, 2024, it was confirmed that Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore[80] provided the film's visual effects with Pablo Helman serving as production visual effects supervisor, and that post-production work was in progress, with Chu working remotely with editor Myron Kerstein via communication through the newly-released Apple Vision Pro.[81][82][83] Throughout editing, Kerstein felt emotionally connected to the film and its story, particularly during post-production work on the Ozdust Ballroom and "Defying Gravity" sequences, while reflecting on the former scene: "We always felt like the Ozdust Ballroom was basically the set piece we had to get right, because if that didn’t work, the rest of the movie was going to fall apart." The sequence involved watching the entireties of every ten-minute-long take of Elphaba and Glinda's dance duet and picking the right portions that provoked the most emotional response.[84] Editing on the entire film was done through Avid Media Composer.[85] Post-production on the first film was completed on September 19, 2024.[citation needed]
The soundtrack album for Wicked was released by Republic Records/Verve Label Group, Grande and Erivo's respective record labels, on November 22, 2024.[86] In July 2024, it was revealed that John Powell had composed the incidental underscore for the film and is set to do the same for Wicked: For Good. Jeff Atmajian updated the late William David Brohn's original orchestrations for the songs and enlarged the orchestra from the stage version's original 23 musicians to 125 for the film.[87] The recording sessions for the music took place at AIR Studios in London,[88] with the musical's original music director Stephen Oremus conducting the song cues and Powell conducting the incidental score cues alongside Gavin Greenaway, all with the London Symphony Orchestra. Greg Wells, Oremus and Schwartz served as music producers.[89][90][91] The score album was released on December 6, 2024.[92]
Musical numbers
"Overture" – The Wicked Orchestra
"No One Mourns the Wicked" – Glinda, Governor Thropp, Mrs. Thropp, Traveling Salesman, Dulcibear, Wolf Doctor and Ozians
Some songs from Wicked: For Good appear throughout the score, most prominently "For Good" whenever Elphaba and Galinda's friendship is seen or mentioned, "Thank Goodness" when Galinda changes her name, and "Wonderful" when Elphaba receives her invitation from the Wizard.[93]
Stage-to-screen changes
Changes for the film include adding new characters: Dulcibear, Elphaba's childhood nanny; Miss Coddle, a headmistress at Shiz University; and Galinda's parents, who drop her off at Shiz.[94] The film shows Elphaba's private tutoring sessions with Madame Morrible in learning how to control her powers, flashback scenes depicting Elphaba as a child being ridiculed by the children of Munchkinland for her green skin and more moments to show the dynamic between her and Nessarose as sisters. The sexual content of the novel and the musical, particularly the affair between Mrs. Thropp, Elphaba's mother, and the traveling salesman in this film, was toned down for the overall two-part adaptation in order for both films to reach a wider audience and attain a PG rating from the Motion Picture Association (MPA).[95]
Contrary to the book and the traditional casting of Pfannee as a woman in the musical, the character was gender-swapped to a male actor, Bowen Yang. The character arc of Boq was expanded upon for the film, and he was given the surname Woodsman.
"Something Bad" is changed to a private meeting of the talking Animals at Dr. Dillamond's home off Shiz campus. There, the Animals sing to each other about the state of Oz rather than to Elphaba directly as in the stage show.
In the film, Fiyero and Elphaba's first meeting happens in the forest rather than with a group of classmates at Shiz.[96] Fiyero's musical number, "Dancing Through Life", takes place on open grounds on stage. In the film, it starts inside the university's circular, rotating library, complete with an added extended dance break. The Ozdust Ballroom portion of the number was both altered and expanded upon, reimagining the ballroom as what Chu called a nightclub in "the underbelly of Oz", complete with a musical band with Animals playing instruments.[97] The musical number "Popular" is also extended with additional key changes and vocal extensions.[98]
The song "One Short Day" is significantly expanded in the movie to include the Emerald City Players' production of "Wiz-O-Mania," which lays out more of the backstory for the Wizard and the Grimmerie. The leading players are Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who starred in the original Broadway production of the stage musical as Elphaba and Glinda respectively.[99]
Elphaba's "battle cry" at the end of "Defying Gravity" pays homage to the "cherry picker effect" used in the stage musical.
The climactic shot of the "Defying Gravity" sequence where Elphaba sings her signature "battle cry" while high up in the sky at sunset with green lightning striking through the clouds and her billowing cape growing larger in size, pays homage to the "cherry picker effect" used to lift the actress playing Elphaba off the stage during the climax of the song.[100][101] The sequence itself is also extended to make it work as the finale of the first film, leaving the audience on a cliffhanger with a "To be continued..." title card, setting up Wicked: For Good.[102][93]
Marketing
On April 16, 2023, first-look pictures of the film were released through social media, featuring Erivo's Elphaba and Grande's Glinda.[103][104]Work in process footage from the film, featuring first listens to Grande and Erivo's respective renditions of "Popular" and "Defying Gravity", was then presented at CinemaCon on April 26, 2023, introduced on stage by Universal Pictures chairwoman Donna Langley.[105] The first trailer for the film, in the form of a 60 second "First Look", premiered during Super Bowl LVIII on February 11, 2024.[106][107][108] The film returned to CinemaCon on April 10, 2024, to present new footage and marked the first time the cast and crew appeared together in public to promote the film. Costumes and props were also on display in the lobby of the venue during this event.[109]
A featurette featuring behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with Chu, Erivo, and Grande on how much Wicked and Wicked: For Good mean to them as a cinematic passion project, debuted at the 2024 NBCUniversal Upfront event at Radio City Music Hall on May 13, 2024, and was released online shortly after. The official 3-minute theatrical trailer for the film was released on May 15, 2024, followed by a version produced and animated entirely in the Lego brickfilm style on May 29, 2024. The Lego version was later attached to the theatrical screenings of the animated Pharrell Williams film Piece by Piece.[110][111] A behind-the-scenes television special, Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked, aired on NBC on November 19, 2024, to promote the film.[112] The network also hosted a promotional tie-in for the film during its coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris throughout the summer, with Erivo, Grande and Yeoh attending the opening ceremony, a viral video of the Emerald City's "Unlimited One" train cruising down tracks in front of the Eiffel Tower and extensive advertising during primetime coverage of the Women's Gymnastics event, with Chu and the cast in attendance at the Qualifying round.[113][114][115] On September 4, 2024, character posters were revealed ahead of the release of a new trailer the next day, which remixed "Defying Gravity" with Herbert Stothart's iconic "Wicked Witch/Miss Gulch" motif from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's now-Warner Bros.-owned 1939 film version of The Wizard of Oz.[116][117] After debuting in the Behind-the-Scenes TV special, the film's YouTube channel released the entire "What Is This Feeling?" sequence online on November 22, 2024 to coincide with the film's release. It would end up going viral with over ten million views.[118]
A wide range of merchandising for the film across toys, apparel, books, beauty products, and accessories was released by Universal Products & Experiences ahead of the film's release. On the announcement, Vince Klaseu, president of Universal Products & Experiences, remarked: "It has been so fun to develop and expand the beloved story of Wicked and bring these incredible characters and worlds to life through magical products and immersive retail experiences; our global merchandise program across retail and theme parks reflects the film's empowering themes and bold iconography, paving the way for even more excitement in 2025 with Wicked: For Good ... Wicked is very special to us, and we can't wait for fans to embrace these inspiring characters this holiday season."[119][120] Universal had 450 promotional partners for the film, with a media value of $350 million, the most ever for a Hollywood theatrical film.[121] On October 1, Grande's cosmetics brand R.E.M. Beauty released a collaboration inspired by the film.[122][123][124][125] A 96-page Wicked-focused special-edition issue of People magazine, featuring exclusive cast interviews and pictures from production, was published on November 1.[126]
On May 15, 2024, the film launched an interactive website for Shiz University, allowing fans to apply for a 2024 semester at the college before August 15. In September 2024, influencers on various social media platforms started sharing their "acceptance letters and packages" from Shiz, containing a personalized acceptance letter from Madame Morrible herself, a map of the campus, a newspaper (reporting "Prince Fiyero spotted at Shiz"), a pin and a university jumper. Other fans who applied received their acceptance letters via email, with those applying late for the college being denied admission.[127]
On October 10, 2024, it was announced that the film would launch the "Journey Through Oz" Press Tour during the weeks leading up to the film's release with each city being transformed into some of the film's various locations: Sydney (Munchkinland), Los Angeles (Shiz University), Mexico City (Enchanted Forest), New York (Ozdust Ballroom), and London (Emerald City).[128]
On December 26, 2024, it was announced that the film will take part in the 2025 Rose Parade on January 1, 2025 in Pasadena, California with a 55-foot-long "Defying Gravity" float covered with 60,000 tulips imported from Holland along with colorful carnations to celebrate the film's New Year's Eve release on VOD.[129]
Poster controversy
The film's promotional poster (left) that recreated the stage musical's original poster art (right), which led to many re-edits and parodies. One in particular became a source of controversy, surrounding Erivo and her negative reaction to it.
On October 9, 2024, to coincide with tickets going on sale, a poster was released with Erivo and Grande as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, recreating the original poster art of the stage musical.[130][131] Reception towards the poster was mixed, and it resulted in the creation of "fan edits" designed to bring the poster closer to the original art, using Adobe Photoshop and generative AI tools.[132] The poster was also mocked with a video made with Runway AI to make it look like Elphaba and Glinda in the image were catfighting.[citation needed] It also became the subject of viral internet memes, including a parody replacing Elphaba with Charli XCX in a promotional image for her and Grande's remix of "Sympathy Is a Knife"[132]
On October 15, 2024, a Twitter user created their own edit, attempting to more accurately match the movie poster to the original theatrical poster, making edits by obscuring Elphaba's eyes, raising Glinda's hand to cover her mouth, and giving Elphaba smirking red lips. Although many fans considered it an improvement,[133][134] the following day Erivo shared a repost of the edited poster on her Instagram story, writing:
This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful AI[sic] of us fighting, equal to people posing the question "is your [pussy] green" [a reference to a 2014 meme[135]] ... None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us. The original poster is an illustration. I am a real life human being, who chose to to[sic] look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer ...because without words we communicate with our eyes. Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.[136][137][138]
The user later deleted the post out of respect for the actress, saying their intentions were not malicious and they had not anticipated the reaction. However, on October 20, the user reposted their edit, saying while they felt Erivo's feelings were valid, they stood by the image as "an innocent fan edit to pay homage to the original Broadway poster".[139][140][141][142] On October 19, during the 4th Academy Museum Gala red carpet arrivals, Grande responded to the controversy, saying, "I think it's very complicated because I find AI so conflicting and troublesome sometimes, but I think it's just kind of such a massive adjustment period ... This is something that is so much bigger than us, and the fans are gonna have fun and make their edits ... And I have so much respect for my sister, Cynthia, and I love her so much."[143] On October 29, Erivo was asked by Entertainment Tonight about the nature of her comments, and said "it wasn't necessarily a clapback ... Because I think I'm really protective of the role ... I am passionate about it, and I know that the fans are passionate about it, and I think, for me, it was just like a human moment of wanting to protect little Elphaba. It was a human moment. I probably should've called my friends, but it's fine."[144][145]
Mattel dolls
Mattel has produced a series of dolls for the film portraying main characters Glinda, Elphaba, Fiyero, Madame Morrible, as well as Nessarose in a wheelchair. In August 2024, two song snippets from the film ("Popular" and "Defying Gravity") were leaked through a sound chip in their line of singing dolls.[146][147]
In November 2024, the doll box[148][149][150] and the manual[151] for many dolls in the Wicked line were found to contain links to the website of the adult film studio Wicked Pictures (www.wicked.com) instead of the movie's own website (www.wickedmovie.com).[152][153] Mattel apologized for the error, and asked parents who had bought products with the incorrect website to destroy the packaging.[154] In December 2024, Mattel was sued by a mother in North Carolina, citing the emotional distress that she and her daughter had suffered due to the error.[155]
Release
The State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, where Wicked held its world premiere
Originally announced as one film, Wicked was split into two films in April 2022.[58] The first half premiered in Sydney, Australia at the State Theatre on November 3, 2024,[156] with premieres that followed in Los Angeles at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on November 9, 2024,[157] in Mexico City at the Auditorio Nacional on November 11, 2024,[158] and in London at the Royal Festival Hall on November 18, 2024.[159] It was theatrically released by Universal Pictures on November 21 in Australia[160] and Mexico,[161] and on November 22 in the United States, with engagements in RealD 3D, IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, ScreenX and D-Box. This was followed by its Polish premiere as the closing night film of the 32nd International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage on November 23, 2024, with cinematographer Alice Brooks and production designer Nathan Crowley (who received the 2024 Production Designer Award at the festival) in attendance.[162][163] Advance screenings of the film took place on November 18, 2024, for Amazon Prime members, and for the general public on November 20, 2024. These two screenings marked the only times during the film's theatrical release that most theaters across the United States were simultaneously able to show the film in IMAX, due to Gladiator II taking over most of those screens on opening weekend.[164][165] A sing-along version of the film was released theatrically on December 25, 2024.[166]
The film was previously scheduled to be released on December 20, 2019, December 22, 2021, December 25, 2024, and November 27, 2024,[58] with the latter release date to avoid competition with Avatar: Fire and Ash and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (the former of which was later delayed to 2025 after Thunderbolts*, and later Mufasa: The Lion King took its date),[167] before moving forward by five days to its current date to avoid competition with Moana 2, with the new date putting it against Gladiator II.[164] This sparked speculation on whether the film and Gladiator II sharing a release date could result in a scenario later termed "Glicked", similar to the Barbenheimer phenomenon which was a result of Barbie and Oppenheimer both being released on July 21, 2023.[168][169] With the film being released two weeks after the 2024 United States presidential election, Marc Platt reflected on the story's increasing relevance in the current political climate, saying, "It's a significant election for both of us, but our story aspires to be about the distance people travel to connect with each other, about seeing the other as not the other, about living in a world where sometimes the truth is not real."[170]
The film was screened exclusively for influencers, awards season pundits and entertainment industry personnel on the Universal Studios Lot on October 16, 2024.[171] A private screening of the film was held at the home of Kim Kardashian on October 22, 2024, exclusively attended by her family alongside Erivo and Grande.[172] Another private screening took place at the DGA Theater in Manhattan on October 28, 2024, attended by Erivo, Grande, Chu, Platt, Schwartz, original Broadway cast members Kristin Chenoweth, Norbert Leo Butz and Christopher Fitzgerald, members of the current Broadway cast, and other actresses who had played Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway and national tour over the years. The screening was preceded by a video greeting from Idina Menzel, who could not attend due to rehearsals being underway for the new musical Redwood.[173] A screening hosted by Anna Wintour was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on November 14, 2024, attended by the cast members of the film and other celebrities.[174] Screenings for the general public took place at the State Theatre in Sydney from November 20 through November 22.[160]
Censorship
Prior to its theatrical release in Kuwait, the film was pulled from some theatres due to "public ethics".[175] However, the film continues to be screened in various cinemas in the country.[176] Following its release in the United States, right-wing conservative Christian group One Million Moms called for a boycott on the film, claiming that it "promotes witchcraft and pushes the LGBTQ agenda on families, particularly children." Kristin Chenoweth defended the film in a comment on Instagram, saying "Everyone knows the 'one million Moms' are a mere few hundred. Maybe. it's called entertainment. Artistry. I am a Christian woman or originated the role of Glinda and all the silliness that these women spew out of hate. No no no. I can't help it: I try to love 'em anyways. For they don't get it. For anyone who wants to see girl power, then go so WICKED. Onstage or in a movie theater."[177]
Localization
Ceci de la Cueva and Danna Paola (left) as Glinda and Elphaba in 2014, and Myra Ruiz (right) as Elphaba in 2016.
The film was released dubbed in a number of countries following the local productions of the original musical staged along the years.[178][179][180][181] In some dubbed versions of the film, the lead characters were voiced by performers who had previously portrayed them on stage in local productions. Danna Paola and Ceci de la Cueva in Latin American Spanish,[179] Myra Ruiz and Fabi Bang in Brazilian Portuguese,[180] and Park Hye-na and Jeong Sunah in Korean[182][183][184] all performed as Elphaba and Glinda respectively in the original local productions of the musical. Sabrina Weckerlin, who voiced Elphaba in German,[185] first played Elphaba in 2007 as an alternate in the original German production,[186] while Johanne Milland, who voiced Glinda in Danish,[187] played Glinda in the 2024 Danish production of the musical.[188] Dutch actor Vajèn van den Bosch, who played Elphaba in the German production in 2021,[189] instead came back as Glinda in Dutch.[190]
Additionally, a few more actors from local original productions made a cameo appearance as dubbers of Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. That was the case of Willemijn Verkaik, who first played Elphaba in 2007 in the original German production of the musical,[191] and then again in several other international productions, including the original Dutch production in 2011,[192] West End,[193] and Broadway.[194] Verkaik dubbed Menzel in the Dutch and German dubbings[195][196] together with Glinda's original Dutch and German performers as Chenoweth's dubbers: Chantal Janzen[197][195] and Lucy Scherer[191][196] respectively. Maria Lucia Rosenberg, who played Elphaba in the original Danish production in 2011,[198][199] also came back to dub Menzel in Danish.[200] In a few more dubbings, more cameo appearances were made with Menzel's character, as she was voiced not only by actors who had previously portrayed Elphaba in local productions, but especially in countries where the musical was never played, also by voice-actors who had previously voiced in different languages another major character in Menzel's career: Elsa, from Disney's Frozen. That's the case of Elke Buyle in Flemish,[201][202] Nikolett Füredi in Hungarian,[203][204] Taryn Szpilman in Brazilian Portuguese,[205][206] and Annika Herlitz in Swedish.[207][208]
Opposite to other localizations, which were based on previously existing theatrical versions of the show, two days ahead of the film's release, a first-time Norwegian production of the musical was announced to be in the making, and scheduled to premiere in 2025.[209]
Home media
The film is scheduled to be released on video on demand on December 31, 2024.[210] It will be released on 4K Blu-ray on February 4, 2025 by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Both the digital and physical releases contain the theatrical and sing-along versions of the film along with bonus features such as extended and deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes featurettes.[211][212]
Reception
Box office
Pre-release
Tickets for Wicked went on sale on October 9, 2024, the day after Paramount Pictures released their tickets for Gladiator II. On October 10, Fandango reported that the film became the site's number 2 first-day ticket pre-seller of 2024, behind Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine, as well as the best PG-rated first-day ticket pre-seller of the year and the number 3 best PG-rated first-day ticket pre-seller of all time, behind Frozen 2 and the 2019 remake of The Lion King (both from Disney).[213] According to Deadline Hollywood, Quorum projected Wicked to gross $67–74 million in its domestic opening weekend, while Box Office Theory projected it would gross $96–150 million and Boxoffice Pro projected it would be $100–125 million, topping the box office ahead of Gladiator II. Initial skepticism was directed towards the notion that musical films post-pandemic would not be profitable.[214][215][216] By the week of its release, projections were raised to a $165–200 million worldwide opening (and $125–150 million domestically), with positive word-of-mouth and the film's awards season buzz cited as the reasons.[217]
Performance
As of December26,2024[update], Wicked has grossed $404.8million in the US and Canada, and $188.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $593.2million.[3][6]
In the US and Canada, it made $46.47 million on its first day, which included $19.2 million from preview screenings in the week leading up to its release: $2.5 million on Monday, $5.7 million on Wednesday, and $11 million on Thursday. It debuted with $112.5 million in the US and Canada and $162.9 million worldwide, topping both box offices.[218][219] It was the largest opening ever for a film based on a Broadway musical, surpassing the $31.1 million domestic opening of Into the Woods (2014) and the $103 million worldwide opening of Les Misérables (2012).[220] The following Thursday, it made $16.9 million, the second-best Thanksgiving Day total ever behind Moana 2 ($28 million), released the day prior. It grossed $32 million on Black Friday.[221]
Wicked grossed $80 million in its second weekend (and a total of $117.5 million over the five-day frame), dropping by 29% and finishing behind Moana 2.[222] At the end of the holiday weekend, it reached over $250 million domestically, making it the highest-grossing stage musical-to-screen adaptation of all time in the US and Canada, beating the $190 million lifetime domestic gross of Grease (1978).[223] In its third weekend, it made $34.9 million, remaining in second, for a running total of $455 million worldwide.[224][225]As of December11,2024[update], Wicked is the second-highest grossing film adaptation of a Broadway musical, behind Mamma Mia! (2008).[226] By December 15, 2024, it had grossed $525 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film based on a work set in the Land of Oz, surpassing the $493 million worldwide gross of Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). By Christmas Day, the film grossed $392.4 million domestically, becoming the 49th highest-grossing film of all time in the United States and Canada.[227]
Critical response
The performances of Bailey, Erivo, and Grande (L:R) were praised by critics.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 364 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10.The website's consensus reads: "Defying gravity with its magical pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked's sheer bravura and charm make for an irresistible invitation to Oz."[228]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 73 out of 100, based on 63 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[229] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it a 92% overall positive score, with 80% saying they would "definitely recommend" it.[220]
Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal called it "the most entertaining film of the year and the most dazzling live-action Hollywood musical since Chicago".[230] Jazz Tangcay of Variety called the film "a musical masterpiece that is much more than we could have ever expected" and praised Chu's direction, the performances and the sets and costumes.[231] Antonia Blyth of Deadline Hollywood called it "a blast from start to finish" and "a delicious, hilarious romp that shows off Erivo and Grande's next-level talent and laugh-out-loud comedy chops. They serve up every number with surprises, delights and genuine depth."[232][233]Manohla Dargis of The New York Times wrote that Erivo “is the strongest draw in this splashy, overly long movie…",[7] while Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist wrote that Grande "often delivers startling depth to her character before jumping into a musical number that will have you grinning from ear to ear."[234] The Ozdust Ballroom and "Defying Gravity" scenes were both cited as among the best movie scenes of 2024 by Variety and Looper, respectively.[235][236] Filmmakers Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Adam McKay praised the film.[237][238][239]
Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe called the film "visually unappealing", commenting that "it can't handle the tonal shifts. Authoritarianism and broad comedy make strange and uneasy bedfellows."[243] Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com similarly said that "When it's all about the spectacle of big, splashy production numbers, this prequel to The Wizard of Oz is thrilling" but that "Far less effective is the way Chu...wedges in the movie's heavier themes of authoritarianism."[244]James Berardinelli of ReelViews noted that "Although Wicked: Part 1 has its share of high points (some of which aim very high), the filmmakers seem to have embraced the concept of 'bloat' as a beneficial characteristic."[245]
Cultural impact
”I watched Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the cameras rolled. Their ability to inhabit their characters – and Jonathan Bailey's ability too – were intimidatingly powerful.”
—Author Gregory Maguire in his introduction for the movie tie-in edition of the original novel on which the musical is loosely based[246]
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the respective roles of Elphaba and Galinda on Broadway, praised the performances of their film counterparts, with Chenoweth adding: "The whole cast is amazing. Jon Chu nailed it. I was so moved, emotional, happy, filled with joy."[247][248] Menzel stated: "The film is so loving and respectful of the original show, but then builds on it in so many beautiful ways I never thought possible."[249][248]Lorna Luft, one of the daughters of Judy Garland, who portrayed Dorothy in the 1939 film, called the film "breathtaking to look at" and "everything I wanted it to be".[250]
Elle UK's Panashe Nyadundu wrote that the film was a "much-needed escape" with a powerful message of kindness, friendship, representation and acceptance that was warmly welcomed by audiences in the wake of the 2024 United States presidential election. Nyadundu added: "From LGBTQ+ representation, to shining a light on disabilities, animal rights, female friendship and more, Wicked not only offers escapism to a world of utter fantasy, but equally, acts as a sharp reminder of how to navigate a world marred by corruption and discrimination."[251]
On November 21, 2024, a clip from the press tour interview in which the journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist told Erivo and Grande that viewers were "holding space" for the lyrics of "Defying Gravity" went viral, creating multiple memes. Gilchrist later explained what she meant: "For me, it means being in the moment, not being distracted and feeling something on a cellular level ... I think you can hold space with lyrics of a song—one you've heard hundreds of times—and it can suddenly take on new meaning when you're a queer person."[252]
The film's choreography for the song "What Is This Feeling?" was recreated heavily on TikTok and Instagram Reels by fans and the casts of various Broadway and West End productions.[253]
The direct sequel, Wicked: For Good, which will cover the events of the musical's second act, is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2025.[258][259]
Possible future installments
In November 2024, Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman stated they are talking about the possibility of "something" more associated with Wicked, but that they don't want it to be titled Wicked Part Three or Four. They further stated their interest in expanding the wider Wicked film universe.[260]
↑ Holzman is credited twice for writing the screenplay; first as a solo writer and as part of a writing team with Dana Fox.[1]
1 2 3 Grande is credited onscreen as her full name, "Ariana Grande-Butera."[2]
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References
1 2 "Wicked". directories.wga.org. Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
↑ Frei, Vincent (February 12, 2024). "Wicked: Part One". The Art of VFX (in French). Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
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