This November, the long-awaited film adaptation of hit Broadway musical Wicked came to theaters. As a judgmental musical theater fanatic who has known the original soundtrack all her life, I had been skeptical of the movie from the day it was announced. Though others had high hopes, I maintained my judgment until the wonderful reviews began to roll in. I saw Wicked in theaters not long after it came out, and I’m pleased to say it was one of the better Broadway film adaptations I have seen.
Wicked arrived to ridiculous amounts of box office success; it is already the second highest grossing film adaption of a Broadway musical, after just over a month. If it continues at this rate, it may pass the beloved Mamma Mia! which holds the title of the highest.
Not only did it experience love from the box office, but it also earned nominations for the two leads at the Critic’s Choice and Golden Globe Awards. Many believe Wicked will garner these acting nominations and more at the Academy Awards. If it wins the coveted Best Picture Award, it will be the first musical to do so since Chicago in 2002.
The story of Wicked took a complicated road to the screen. It can be traced back to The Wizard of Oz, originally a book published in 1900. Of course, the film version of The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, is heralded as a classic by the American Film Institute and general public.
It wasn’t until 1995 that Gregory Maguire wrote his book Wicked, a backstory for the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch. In 2003, Stephen Schwartz composed the Tony award winning musical adaptation of Wicked for the Broadway stage starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth (both made cameos in the film). Finally in 2024 Jon M. Chu directed his film adaptation of the musical Wicked. The recently released movie is only part one and covers the first act of the musical. Part two, Wicked: For Good will extend into the timeline of The Wizard Of Oz while part one is exclusively backstory.
Wicked: Part I tells the story of a complicated friendship between Glinda the Good Witch of the East and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. At Shiz University, they are forced to be roommates despite hating each other on first impression. They grow to care about each other as political tensions grow with the animals and romantic tensions grow with another student, Fiyero.
The cast of Wicked is star-studded with Grammy Award winner Ariana Grande as Glinda bringing her pop music loving fans to the musical theater world. Cynthia Erivo, Tony Award winner and juggernaut belter, stars as Elphaba, pleasing theatre-loving viewers. Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero with experience from Company on the West End, while Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh round out the cast as the Wizard and Madame Morrible. I found all performances satisfying, though Jonathon Bailey is somewhat old to be playing a college student and Michelle Yeoh’s vocal ability raised an eyebrow.
I will admit, I was incredibly skeptical of pop riff singer Ariana Grande playing such a traditional soprano role, but I was blown away from the first song. Her high notes in “No One Mourns The Wicked” were stunning. To me, Cynthia Erivo’s wonderful performance goes without saying, considering her past feats on Broadway. She was a strong actor and the strongest singer, reminding me of her talent with a perfect rendition of “The Wizard And I”.
At times the movie can be too focused on spectacle though. The first installment of the Wicked films is longer than the entire stage show, and I feel that it should have been more concise. The original stage show is a spectacle so it makes sense that this nature would carry over to the movie, but the length that special effects and showy dance numbers added to the movie was too much. Having seen the stage musical and having loved the original Broadway album my whole life, I would say this film is a good adaptation. Thus far, it doesn’t miss any significant plots or themes. It doesn’t cut any songs, and the leading actors are capable vocalists, unlike those in many other movie musicals.
I don’t think it is possible to form a full opinion on Wicked until part two comes out next year. So much of the payoff and more serious content comes with the second act. What I will say is that the sets, costumes, and general visuals are very impressive. It is colorful and whimsical and unafraid to have a personality, which is more than can be said for many movies of today.
