The Broadway musical adaptation of “Wicked” had fans flocking to theaters on Nov. 22 to see the thrilling and nostalgic film. “Wicked” was a major success in the film industry, breaking through to the second highest-grossing musical adaptation following “Mamma Mia!” “Wicked” had the most successful opening weekend for a musical film making $164.2 million.
“Wicked” is a prequel to the beloved 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz,” which like the 2024 film, takes the characters on a journey to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard of Oz. “Wicked” connects the viewer with the origin of the land of Oz and gives a deeper understanding of the rivalry between Elphaba and Glinda. The film is filled with friendship and compassion, but it also faces feelings of judgment and isolation.
Singer and actress Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda in “Wicked,” insisted that the film stay true to the original Broadway adaptation from 2003. She said on the Sentimental Men podcast that she felt sick when she first read the script after discovering that “the Wizard will see you now” was missing from it. Grande acted on her opinion and convinced director Jon Chu to include it in the film.
Although the production wanted to portray the musical onscreen accurately, actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, wanted to depict her character, so she could relate to and represent her identity onscreen. In doing so, Erivo included micro braids for Elphaba to define herself beyond her character.
“It was a direct connection between me as a Black woman and Elphaba as a green lady,” Erivo said to People Entertainment.
Erivo also gave Elphaba long nails to symbolize her character development throughout the film. Her nails grow longer and darker as the film progresses to show the power and confidence she has gained as she journeys toward Emerald City.
Erivo told People Entertainment that she wanted to show progression with Elphaba through her long nails instead of makeup or other physical qualities to express herself through her character.
The appreciation of the film went beyond the costumes and script. The movie was meant to display the judgment of being different which was flawlessly shown through Grande and Erivo’s performances. Both actresses have expressed joy for portraying the roles of Glinda and Elphaba on the “Wicked” press tour.
Actress and singer Idina Menzel who played Elphaba on Broadway in 2003 was grateful for the depiction of the film. She expressed her admiration for the hard work put into honoring the original musical.
“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,” Menzel wrote.
Not only was Menzel proud of the result of the film, but actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth who played Glinda alongside Menzel was touched by the movie. Chenoweth praised the cast recognizing the dedication to creating the popular musical on screen.
“The whole cast is amazing. Jon Chu nailed it. I was so moved, emotional, happy, filled with joy,” Chenoweth said to Entertainment Weekly.
The film showed an outstanding display of creativity and nostalgia. The quality of work done for the movie from costume design to vocal techniques was done at a professional level. Additionally, the film related to audiences of all ages and brought new and old fans together to celebrate the successful musical. “Wicked” has left viewers with excitement for the second part of the classic musical, “Wicked”.