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Wicked (2024 film)

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IMDb rating
7.5

Wicked (stylized as Wicked: Part One) is the first film adaptation of the musical based on the book series that will be released as two parts by Universal Studios. The film was released on November 22nd, 2024.

The sequel, titled Wicked: For Good, is expected to come a year later around November 21st, 2025.

Plot[]

In the Land of Oz, Glinda the Good joins the citizens of Munchkinland as they celebrate the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. When a child asks Glinda why wickedness happens, she reflects on the question by discussing the Witch's backstory: born from an affair between the wife of then-Governor Thropp and a traveling salesman, she was ostracized from birth due to her unnaturally green skin and uncontrollable magical abilities ("No One Mourns the Wicked"). When asked if she and the Witch were friends, Glinda reveals that they knew each other and explains their past.

Years earlier, Elphaba Thropp arrives at Shiz University to see off her paraplegic younger sister Nessarose ("Dear Old Shiz"). Following an unintentional release of her powers, Madame Morrible, Shiz's Dean of Sorcery Studies, offers to enroll Elphaba and privately tutor her in sorcery. 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 pointed hat that Galinda gave her as a joke. A remorseful Galinda dances with her, and the two girls begin to bond ("Popular").

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, demonstrates a new contraption – a cage – with a frightened lion cub enclosed within, designed to prevent animals from learning to speak. A frustrated Elphaba releases her magic and 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").

A few days later, Elphaba receives an invitation to meet the Wizard, who has heard of her powers from Morrible. Galinda, now shortening her name to "Glinda" in solidarity with Dillamond, 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 the colour of her skin. Morrible arrives to witness Elphaba and the Wizard's first meeting, and the two encourage Elphaba to cast a spell from the sacred spellbook, the Grimmerie. 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 behind 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 on horseback, and Governor Thropp suffers a heart attack as he and Nessarose receive the news. Elphaba flies west, leaving Glinda behind ("Defying Gravity").

Cast[]

Some characters who appeared only in the book and not on stage are now are set to appear in the duology alongside some new ones created just for the two films. Some characters who are from the book and had their roles either omitted or reduced from the musical while expanded upon have an asterisk by their name while new characters who are exclusive to this movie have two.

Non-speaking cameos:

  • Stephanie J. Block as a Munchkin (First national tour Elphaba)

Musical Numbers[]

Production History[]

A film adaptation of Wicked had been discussed since 2004, though producers were waiting for a dip in the stage musical's earnings. By 2012, Universal was reported to be producing the film with Stephen Daldry as director and Winnie Holzman who wrote the musical's book to pen the screenplay. Marc Platt who helped to develop the musical will also be part of this project while his company is set to co-produce The Wonderful Wizard of Oz with New Line Cinema.

Universal announced in 2016 that the film would be released in theaters in December 2019, with Daldry attached to direct it with the script to be co-written by the musical's creators Holzman and Schwartz. In May 2017, Schwartz stated that the film would feature "at least two" new songs (but these were later apparently saved for the second movie).  On February 8th, 2019, Universal announced a release date of December 22nd, 2021, but on April 1st, 2020, they announced it might be delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic because of the shakeup in the film industry.

However on October 20th, 2020, Daldry left the production due to scheduling conflicts according to Variety. On February 3rd, 2021, it was announced it would now be directed by Jon M. Chu who previously directed Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights.

On June 5th, 2021, Collider did an interview as he talked about the characters: "Yes, of course, we're going to have Oz, and you're going to be in this crazy world, and you're going to revisit this innocent place and you're going to see that it's not as innocent as it had been in the past. But you're also going to see that the relationship between these two women [Elphaba and Glinda] is more real than ever, that we're going to be that close to them. We're going to root for them to try to get into that school or when one crosses the other. You're going to hate the other one at some point. You're going to want them to make up at another point, and you're going to feel when they separate. That's the most important thing. The spectacle? That's the easy part; we can hire a lot of people to do that. It's those little moments... that's what's going to make that."

According to WhatsOnStage, on July 2nd, 2021, Schwartz was able to confirm that filming was set to begin in late 2021 and throughout 2022 in Georgia.

Before the new dates were announced, the IMDb page speculated December 22nd, 2022, while WhatsOnStage guessed 2023.

On April 26, 2022, Chu announced via his "Oz phone" that the project will be spilt into two parts in order to fully adapt the story on screen without cutting songs or characters. On Broadway the runtime is nearly three hours so presumably it will be extended with new dialogue and songs to possibly fit an extra hour.

After the announcement of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the roles of Glinda and Elphaba respectively, it was told that production would begin in Summer 2022 in the UK.

On October 28, it was announced that Jeff Goldblum is in 'final talks' to join the cast as the Wizard.

On December 9, several castings have been confirmed along with news that filming has begun.

Principal photography for Part One lasted from April 6, 2023, to January 26, 2024, including a four-month hiatus in support of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Unlike movie musicals in which the actors lip-sync to earlier recordings of the songs, this series had the cast sing before the cameras.

Awards[]

Golden Globe Nominations[]

Ceremony held on January 5th, 2025:

  • Cinematic and Box Office Achievement (won)
  • Best Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy (lost to Emilia Pérez)
  • Best Actress: Musical or Comedy - Cynthia Erivo (lost to Demi Moore for The Substance)
  • Best Supporting Actress - Ariana Grande (lost to Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez)

Critics' Choice Awards Nominations[]

Ceremony held on February 7, 2025:

  • Best Director - Jon M. Chu (won)
  • Best Costume Design - Paul Tazewell (won)
  • Best Production Design - Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales (won)
  • Best Picture (lost to Anora)
  • Best Actress - Cynthia Erivo (lost to Demi Moore)
  • Best Supporting Actress - Ariana Grande (lost to Zoe Saldaña)
  • Best Acting Ensemble (lost to Conclave)
  • Best Adapted Screenplay - Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox (lost to Peter Straughan for Conclave)
  • Best Cinematography - Alice Brooks (lost to Jarin Blaschke for Nosferatu)
  • Best Hair and Makeup - Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, and Laura Blount (lost to Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, and Pierre-Olivier Persin for The Substance)
  • Best Visual Effects - Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould, and David Shirk (lost to Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer for Dune: Part Two)

NAACP Image Award Nominations[]

Ceremony held on February 22, 2025

  • Outstanding Costume Design - Paul Tazewell (won)
  • Outstanding Motion Picture (lost to The Six Triple Eight)
  • Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture - Cynthia Erivo (lost to Kerry Washington for The Six Triple Eight)
  • Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture (lost to The Six Triple Eight)

Screen Actors' Guild Award Nominations[]

Ceremony held on February 23, 2025:

  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - Cynthia Erivo (lost to Demi Moore)
  • Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - Jonathan Bailey (lost to Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain)
  • Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Ariana Grande (lost to Zoe Saldaña)
  • Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (lost to Conclave)
  • Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture (lost to The Fall Guy)

Academy Award Nominations[]

Ceremony held on March 2, 2025:

  • Best Costume Design - Paul Tazewell (won)
  • Best Production Design - Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales (won)
  • Best Picture - Marc Platt (lost to Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker for Anora)
  • Best Actress - Cynthia Erivo (lost to Mikey Madison for Anora)
  • Best Supporting Actress - Ariana Grande (lost to Zoe Saldaña)
  • Best Film Editing - Myron Kerstein (lost to Sean Baker for Anora)
  • Best Makeup and Hairstyling - Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth and Laura Blount (lost to Pierre-Olivier Persin, Stéphanie Guillon and Marilyne Scarselli for The Substance)
  • Best Original Score - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz (lost to Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist)
  • Best Sound - Nancy Nugent Title, John Marquis, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson and Simon Hayes (lost to Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett and Doug Hemphill for Dune: Part Two)
  • Best Visual Effects - Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould and David Shirk (lost to Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe and Gerd Nefzer for Dune: Part Two)

Interviews[]

Wiki Notice: As part of a new feature, we will recap video and/or print interviews that feature current or former members of the cast or production teams as they discuss the making of a particular Oz project.

Cynthia Erivo - Pinocchio Red Carpet, September 2022:

When asked by reporters, she explained that when she heard it was going to be two films instead of just one she felt: "Well alright then, I guess we’ve got our work set ahead of us. It’s full on and kind of exciting, because it means that we have more of the story to tell — more room, more real estate to tell these two stories."

Idina Menzel - People Magazine, May 2022:

The original Elphaba joked about possibly appearing in the movie saying that “If they asked me to do it at the age of 51, I would say, sure — just put a little Vaseline on the lens, throw some green makeup on me, use a little CGI and I'll look gorgeous”. She also said that Grande and Erivo are good friends believing that with them, the film is “in very good hands”.

When asked about advice for them she would say to them it would be to “Just to enjoy the moment, enjoy the process and remember the legacy of the show and how many young people it resonates with and speaks to. It's allowed for so many young people to really embrace their power and what makes them really special in the world, so I would remind them just to keep that in mind every day when they're on set, and to remember why they're doing it and who they're doing it for."

When it was brought up about the film being spilt into two parts she noted will only be beneficial, as it will allow every part of the story to unfold onscreen. In particular she said "The novel was one of my favourite novels, and I had read it before I was ever cast in the show. It's rich in detail. So the more that we can actually discover all that Wicked is, I think, the more beneficial it will be to the story.”

Videos[]

Trivia[]

With various trivia notes, they are divided into sections:

General[]

  • This is the 2nd Oz movie to be based off a Broadway musical after The Wiz.
  • This is the 2nd live-action prequel Oz movie after 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful.
  • This is planned to be the very first two-part movie made by Universal Pictures besides direct sequels. It might also be the very first two-part musical film to be made by any company.
  • To promote the movie, the studio created a website called ShizUniversity.com which features various in-universe materials such as a two page student welcome brochure and interactive map of the school plus school directory comprising of main characters plus user submitted photos putting face on AI generated uniforms. There is also a clickable exploration of Glinda and Elphaba's dorm room in addition to Doctor Dillamond's classroom . As of November 26th, two areas based on the Library and Madame Morrible's Study have yet to be added with additions labeled "Oztastically New!"
    • A ten question Ozian History Quiz can be taken at Doctor Dillamond's room based on lore from the book.
      • A hint says "Find the Study Guide" which is on his board as a more readable copy can be found back of the room for download and print.
    • Unfortunately not easily readable with full paragraphs though in very small letters is a four page issue of The Shiz Gazette.
  • Elphaba does a mid-air jump referencing a similar stunt by Clark Kent figuring out how to fly in the 1978 film Superman.
  • On a map of Oz shown in Dillamond's study, Chimneyville from Jack Pumpkinhead of Oz is listed.
  • According to Screenrant, it was reported January 10th, 2011 that ABC (owned in part by Walt Disney Pictures) had plans to "strictly adapt" the novel as an eight hour miniseries that would remove elements of the musical. It was to be produced by Salma Hayek through her company Ventanarosa Productions with Erik Jendresen writing the script as it was expected to air sometime that Fall or Spring 2012. The article notes former ABC President Stephen McPherson declined this production despite the network buying the rights to the books in 2009. A placeholder IMDB listing since deleted and last updated on June 14th, 2016 had stated "Development Unknown" through it also listed Jose Tamez as a producer. It is unknown if this is still forthcoming since the television series Once Upon a Time introduced its own Oz based storyline which initially rumored adapting Elphaba but they instead created an original Zelena.
  • Though unofficial, in 2013, a Disney animator uploaded images of concept art that could be used for an animated film. Another animator named Heidi Jo Gilbert pitched a storyboard version of Defying Gravity in 2011 uploaded to her vimeo account for the studio to consider.
  • This is the 1st Oz movie to receive its own line of LEGO sets, following a failed LEGO Ideas pitch for a 1939-inspired set, and minifigures of that movie's cast appearing in LEGO Dimensions, The LEGO Batman Movie, and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. The Wicked sets use minidolls instead of minifigures.

References to The Wizard of Oz[]

  • The Universal Pictures logo is a recreation of the logo used in the late 1930s, and changes from black and white to color.
  • When the intro plays Elphaba's "Unlimited" motif, which uses the same notes as the line "Somewhere over the rainbow" in the 1939 movie's trademark song, the camera pans over a rainbow to show Dorothy and her friends returning to the Emerald City with Elphaba's broom in tow.
  • The Yellow Brick Road is seen in a swirl from Munchkinland while omitting the Red Brick Road.
  • Glinda's bubble resembles the 1939 movie's pink orb rather than the stage version's mechanical circle.
  • In the beginning of the movie, Glinda wears a pink gown similar to the gown Billie Burke wore.
  • The font used for the title screen is similar to the MGM film's.
  • Nessarose wears grey striped socks similar to the Wicked Witch of the East's black and white striped ones.
  • There is a Professor Gulch mentioned at the Shiz orientation.
  • Most of Glinda's clothes are pink instead of the musical's blue, plus she has Ruby Slipper type shoes in her wardrobe in her dormitory at Shiz University.
  • Before Elphaba finishes singing "The Wizard and I," she sees bluebirds fly over a rainbow, as described in "Over the Rainbow."
  • Elphaba's hand shadow during one of her classes looks reminiscent of the Wicked Witch of the West.
  • The bicycle basket used by Elphaba for carrying the Lion cub is parallel to Almira Gulch riding with Toto in her bike basket. This detail was written into the script by Winnie Holzman.

Characters[]

  • Doctor Dillamond was the only Animal teacher to have a scene in his classroom.
    • A bluebill stork appears among others including a weasel, snow leopard, an owl, and deer in the Animal Faculty area.
    • Per the historical mural covered up by the Wizard's which is broken, it's revealed that previous Animal faculty also included a raccoon, bear, owl, and goat which might be different or is Dillamond. Wearing different color robes, this can interpreted as a possible reference to Harry Potter with the four houses of Hogwarts and similar Wizardry schools represented by an animal.
    • Shown in his presentation of past teachers include a jaguar and antelope
  • Mentioned though not seen during the Shiz Academy Orientation is a Professor Mombi who teaches biology, possibly a veiled reference to the "Powder of Life". Winnie Holzman noted that she was "looking through the book" while in the later books a version based on The Marvelous Land of Oz does appear named Mombey traveling with Tip briefly in Son of a Witch before a more prominent role in Out of Oz although not with this moniker. This minor detail was picked up by the Pink News with context of how this might invoke the memorable Return to Oz (film) characterization and ponder if she per this version combined with Langwidere might appear in Part Two.
  • Upon being asked on why Professor Wogglebug wasn't featured, Winnie Holzman noted she isn't an Oz historian while only certain things from the original books instinctually appeal to her as a writer.

Cast[]

  • In a Twitter post from 2011, Grande said that she wanted to "play Glinda at some point in (her) life". In 2018 she sang “The Wizard and I” for NBC's A Very Wicked Halloween special.
  • This is first feature film for Marissa Bode and Aaron Teoh.
  • Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater started dating each other around the time of filming after they both separated from their spouse.
  • Some roles were being cast by the Telsey Office who planned rehearsals in the UK for June or July 2022. In their casting call for Nessarose, they specifically recommended actresses to apply if they use a wheelchair. This has not been a pre-qualification for consideration in most renditions of the musical. It was uncertain how many roles they were tasked with filling, but they created a special email wickedfilmcasting@gmail.com to handle audition submissions.
  • In 2015 actress Amanda Seyfried reached out to say she was open to playing Glinda while recommending Anna Kendrick to play Elphaba.
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda (the songwriter of In the Heights, the first Broadway musical that Jon M. Chu turned into a movie) suggested that he play the Munchkin who asks, "Glinda, is it true you were her friend?", but Jon M. Chu thought he would seem "too distracting." The role went to Kristy Anne Shaw instead.
  • This movie marked Jon M. Chu's second time directing Michelle Yeoh, after Crazy Rich Asians. Both films happen to comprise his first two non-sequel blockbusters.
  • The introduction to "The Wizard and I" provided Michelle Yeoh's first instance of doing her own singing in a movie.
  • Coincidentally, Jeff Goldblum and Idina Menzel both previously played non-singing roles in two separate movies containing songs written by Stephen Schwartz; Aaron in The Prince of Egypt for Goldblum, and Nancy in Enchanted for Menzel (although Nancy does sing in the sequel, Disenchanted).

Humorous Suggestions:

  • It was speculated in November 2021 that James Corden could be cast resulting in enough opposition to get over 109,000 online petition signatures for him to not be involved in this film based on criticisms of previous musical movie performances, especially Cats.
  • Idina Menzel jokingly commented to a post on Instagram with a goat emoji implying that she would like to play a female version of Dr. Dillamond.
  • Actor Calvin Seabrooks did impressions of Billie Porter auditioning for Madame Morrible.
  • A week prior to the premiere, Saturday Night Live on NBC did a three minute sketch depicting various celebrities auditioning for different roles:
    • Bowen Yang as Fran Lebowitz for Madame Morrible and Charli XCX for Glinda
    • Charli XCX as Adele and Troye Sivan for Elphaba
    • Chloe Fineman as Jojo Siwa, Sydney Sweeny, and Leslie Mann for Glinda plus Martha Stewart for Elphaba
    • Ego Nwodim as Janet Jackson for Elphaba
    • Sarah Sherman as Bernie Sanders for the Mayor of Munchkinland
    • Marcello Hernandez as Sebastian Maniscalco for Doctor Dillamond and Bad Bunny for Fiyero
    • Dana Carvey as Al Pacino for the Wizard
    • Unclear roles: Devon Walker as Shannon Sharpe and Heidi Gardner as Mikey Madison per her title character in the film Anora

Box Office[]

  • Each Wicked movie has a production budget of $150 million.
  • Worldwide, this movie became the 5th highest-grossing of 2024, and the only one of the top six not to be a sequel.
  • By the end of the 2024 Thanksgiving weekend, this movie beat Grease as the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation at the North American box office (not adjusting for inflation; otherwise The Sound of Music would hold this title).
  • As of December 2024, this movie beat Mamma Mia! as the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation at the worldwide box office.

Awards[]

  • Jon M. Chu is the first director to undisputedly win a Critics Choice Award for a movie that didn't earn him a Best Director Oscar nomination (Previously, Moulin Rouge!'s Baz Luhrmann and A Beautiful Mind's Ron Howard once tied for the Critics Choice Award), and the first director since Mad Max: Fury Road's George Miller to win without receiving the Best Director Oscar afterwards (Miller lost the Oscar to The Revenant's Alejandro González Iñárritu).
  • Wicked is the first Oz movie since Return to Oz to receive any Academy Award nominations, and the first since 1939's The Wizard of Oz to either win any Oscars, or earn a Best Picture Oscar nomination. Each of these movies won two competitive Oscars, aside from zero-time winner Return to Oz. None of them won Best Picture.
  • Paul Tazewell is the first African-American man to win the Best Costume Design Oscar.
    • This brought him as close to an EGOT as a costume designer can go, considering only musicians can win Grammy Awards; he previously won a Tony for Hamilton and an Emmy for The Wiz Live!.
  • Cynthia Erivo received her second Best Actress Oscar nomination, having previously received one for playing Harriet Tubman in Harriet. (Ironically, she lost that year to Renée Zellweger, who played Judy Garland in Judy.) Harriet and Elphaba boast additional similarities, such as liberating the oppressed, singing, and seeing the future.

Links[]

Films
Live-Action adaptations Silent films Fairylogue and Radio-Plays (1908) • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910) • His Majesty, the Scarecrow of Oz (1914) • The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) • The Magic Cloak of Oz (1914) • The Wizard of Oz (1925)
Modern films The Wizard of Oz (1939) • The Wonderful Land of Oz (1969) • 20th Century Oz (1976) • The Wiz (1978) • Return to Oz (1985) • The Dreamer of Oz (1990) • The Wizard of the City of Emeralds (1994) • The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005) • After the Wizard (2011) • Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) • The Wiz Live! (2015) • Wicked: Part One (2024)
Inspired films Flying Monkeys (2013) • OzLand (2015)
Guest Appearances Inkheart (2008) • Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)
Animated adaptations Feature films Journey Back to Oz (1974) • The Wizard of Oz (1982) • The Wizard of Oz (1983) • The Wizard of Oz (1991) • Lion of Oz (2000) • Tom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz (2011) • Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2014) • Guardians of Oz (2015) • Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz (2016) • Urfin Jus and His Wooden Soldiers (2017) • The Steam Engines of Oz (2018) • Urfin Jus Returns (2019)
Guest Appearances The LEGO Batman Movie (2017) • The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
Upcoming adaptations Wicked: Part Two (2025) • Dorothy & Alice (TBA) • The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (TBA) • Toto (TBA)
Short films After Oz (2007) • The Land of Oz (2015) • Dorothy in the Land of Stars (2017) • Unknown, Lost, or non-English Adaptations
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