“Wicked,” a film based on the Broadway musical, was released November 22nd, 2024, after its announcement in April 2022. The beloved musical is known for its pink and green color scheme, powerful vocals, and its tale about friendship. Fans gathered at theatres wearing bold outfits resembling the characters and truly embracing the event. The adaptation reached #1 in North America, making $114 million opening weekend alone, establishing its incredible success.
Wicked found itself gaining some new fans after pop star, Ariana Grande, revealed her role as Glinda, the popular blonde. Grande expressed how Glinda was a dream role of hers since childhood, although this casting left some Wicked fans concerned. Some were worried that Grande would not be able to portray the Glinda they all know and love. Fortunately, she stayed true to Glinda’s giddy, pink, bubbly self, and absolutely nailed the role.
The film featured many other talented actors and vocalists as well. Cynthia Erivo starred as Elphaba who is a brave, intelligent, and independent witch. Bullied for her unique green skin, Elphaba learns to navigate through life on her own while still caring for her sister, Nessarose. Played by actress Marissa Bode, Nessarose is shy, proper, and is often underestimated due to her wheelchair. Ethan Slater took the role of Boq who is a quirky, ignored, fellow from Munchkinland who wants nothing more than to fit in with his peers at Shiz University. Fitting in is no trouble for Prince Fiyero, who is depicted by Jonathan Bailey. Prince Fiyero has everyone falling head over heels for him, yet only Elphaba sees past his good looks. Deep down Prince Fiyero is a caring soul and is much wiser than he seems. The list of skilled cast members goes on, because the film would not be the same if it weren’t for them.
The actors themselves aren’t the only parts that formed Wicked, the costume designs and sets were a key element to what made this film so magical. Director Jon M. Chu set a high bar for the film’s visuals, wanting as little CGI as possible. The wondrous sets are all physical and absolutely jaw-dropping. Production Director, Nathan Crowley, made sure to include every little detail, even if that meant planting 9 million tulips. An unbelievable amount of time and effort went into the sets and creating a scenery that is otherworldly.
The film also has a beautiful soundtrack! All the hits from the Broadway show are included. Just like on Broadway, the majority of the vocals were recorded live on set. The actors could be doing a stunt high up in the air, and still, the vocals you hear were sung live at that exact moment. For example, Cynthia Erivo singing “Defying Gravity,” flying through the air strapped in a harness, still perfectly hitting every note.
Unfortunately, the movie is split into two parts, so fans will have to wait until 2025 to see how the story ends. Despite the film only being a half, it has a duration of 2 hours and 40 minutes. Although, it does keep the viewers engaged, making the almost 3 hours only feel like 1.
Overall, if you love musicals or magic, then Wicked is the movie for you. It matches the original musical, just with a few extra details. Each actor, set, and song all contributed to make this film remarkable. This movie is an A-, simply due to the fact you only get half.