The new film adaptation of “Wicked” hit theatres in November 2024, and is proving to be a smashing success. The movie is based off of the original Broadway musical which opened in 2003. With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and writer Winnie Holzman, “Wicked” is a timeless musical that has delighted audiences globally for over two decades. The film stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The cast also includes many former alumni of the musical including the original Glinda and Elphaba, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel.

I have a rather unique experience and connection with the musical Wicked. My uncle was in the Broadway cast for many years and I got the privilege of watching it live many times throughout my childhood. Being so immersed in the music and story from a young age made me really excited to experience the film version. 

The plot of “Wicked” is essentially a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” or “what happened before Dorothy dropped in?” Following the melting of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba Thropp, the citizens of Oz are visited by Glinda to celebrate the good news. Glinda is then asked by an Ozian about her friendship with Elphaba. The musical follows Glinda’s account of Elphaba’s life and their time at school together to answer the question ‘Are people born wicked or is wickedness thrust upon them?’ The movie begins with the song “No One Mourns the Wicked” as the citizens of Oz are celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. There is a beautiful shot of Oz as children run through a field of 9 million tulips that were specifically planted for this movie. I thought that the opening scene as a whole did a great job at really placing the audience into the story. 

What I love so much about this movie is that the talent and emotion is palpable. Grande and Erivo chose to sing live for this film. Knowing that just makes the music that much more unbelievable. It makes the whole essence of the film more genuine. Erivo also did all of her own stunts. Her ability to encapsulate her role as Elphaba so deeply is admirable. 

The overall casting choices were incredible. I think that having so many alumni in the cast enhances every aspect of this movie. These people know Wicked and it shows in their performance. I could tell that there was a strong sense of community within the cast. There was incredible chemistry between characters. Jonathan Bailey, who plays Fiyero, was probably one of my favorite characters. Most notably, the song “Dancing Through Life” was one of my most favorite scenes.

I really loved the representation that was shown throughout the film as well. Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose, Elphaba’s younger sister, really is disabled as well as the adorable young Nessarose, Cesily Collette Taylor. Bode is actually the first disabled person to ever be cast as Nessarose. Erivo is the second black woman to ever play Elphaba. I loved the stylistic choice of having Elphaba’s hair be in microbraids. 

I found that the representation to be a major factor into why this movie is so fantastic. I think that this movie reflects so much of where we are today as a society. The scene at the Oz Dust Ballroom had a profound impact on me. Erivo’s ability to say so much without saying anything really stuck with me. Seeing that kind of emotion up close was really incredible to experience after only ever experiencing that during the live version. 

Overall, Wicked is an excellent movie that I would recommend to all audiences. I think that any kind of person can find a takeaway from the story. The pacing was a bit slow for me as I am used to the live version, but I think that it was a good choice in terms of it only being the first part. The imagery is beautiful, the music is to die for, and the story carries so much truth. The movie is also hilarious with some of my favorite lines coming from the wickedly talented Bowen Yang, who plays one of Glinda’s best friends. I would see this movie again and I am very excited to experience part two!