After 3 years of anticipation for the film version of Wicked, it is finally in theatres! Director John M. Chu, who also directed Crazy Rich Asians, worked with writers Winnie Holzman, who wrote the Broadway musical of Wicked, and Dana Fox to bring the adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s novel Wicked to the cinemas.
With an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1/10 on IMDb, critics comment on the pairing of Grande and Erivo as the main characters and how “Wicked’s sheer bravura and charm make for an irresistible invitation to Oz.” Actors and singers Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, and Heff Goldblum enhance the movie and the musical numbers with their incredible charisma and goosebumps-inducing voices. Ariana Grande’s long want to be Glinda had been known by the audience as well, with the continuous promotion of her role, her fans also added to the audience for the movie.
Wicked: Part I follows the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the South and their involvement in each other’s lives as roommates.The movie primarily follows Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, as she grows up ostracized due to her abnormal green color and powers. Glinda and Elphaba met at the boarding school, Shiz University, where they became roommates.The opinions that the two had of each other shone through as Glinda was seen as a spoiled brat obsessed with being popular and Elphaba was a freak with powers.Their growing passionate relationship soon changes as we learn more about the upbringing of the two prominent witches in The Wizard of Oz.
Originally a Broadway musical, this film took the on-stage experience and created a cinematic masterpiece with the world they created either physically or through special effects. Additionally, all the sets were built from scratch without the use of CGI, including Shiz University and the water in Munchkin Land.
The train to Emerald City was no less fabricated from generated imagery, making the film authentic and fresh to watch. The musical numbers were energetic and entertaining, with audience favorites being “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.” These songs reveal more about both the witches’ feelings towards their situation and themselves, enhancing the plot and the themes extracted through the movie.
“I’d heard a ton about Wicked, from both the collaborations they had and how popular it had gotten over social media. I loved the way Cynthia Erivo portrayed Elphaba, but unfortunately Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda felt lackluster—her makeup looked extremely washed out, and she still felt like a popstar to me,” junior Karina Hartenyan said. “I definitely expected the movie to have a more powerful effect on me, and was kind of disappointed that the overall message of the movie was lost in how lengthy the movie was.”
The budget of $145 million for Wicked: Part I was accumulated due to the presence of eye-catching elements in each scene of the movie. Wicked was profitable enough to accumulate to about $263 million, which was expected as Wicked is one of the most successful Broadway shows, apart from favorites like The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King.
The movie included highly detailed sets and costumes and vibrant colors so that in each scene there is something that catches the audience’s eye.The costumes designed by Paul Tazewell gave the audience an intro to the film’s characters, also helping the actors see themselves in character. Each of the costumes created for Elphaba and Glinda paid homage to the original dresses for the witches in the Wizard of Oz, with incredible detailing, whether it’s Cynthia’s spiral textured black dress or Glinda’s bubble-patterned gown to give the characters themselves more depth and personality.
With the ending of the film being subtle yet an understanding part to finish on, it left the audience off with a gentle cliffhanger as director Chu prepares Wicked: Part II to be released on November 21st, 2025, as it explores Elphaba and Glinda’s roles as they continue as witches ruling the Land of Oz.
