Next month, on November 22nd. the long-awaited Wicked movie comes out.
The production follows Act 1 of the musical by the same name. The main character Elphaba (Cynthia Ervio), not yet the Wicked Witch of the West, begins to attend a magical school alongside Galinda (Ariana Grande), not yet the good witch Glinda. At first, the two clash due to their differences, but later they start to see eye to eye and become close friends. Eventually, Elphaba’s aptitude for magic is discovered by their headmistress and she is taken to see the Wizard of Oz to become his assistant. But a shocking discovery makes Elphaba change her mind about the wizard, taking off to start her resistance. It’s a powerful story about friendship, seeing beyond superficial looks, and doing the right thing even when people despise you for it (Universal Pictures).
A second movie is already in production, focused on Act 2 of the musical. It’s set to come out in late 2025, almost exactly one year after the first movie comes out (Playbill).
The musical itself, the basis for both of the upcoming Wicked movies, was based on a book by George Maguire, which was, in turn, inspired by ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ by L. Frank Baum. It features catchy songs like ‘Popular’ (which blew up as a TikTok audio in 2022) and has been the source for much of the Wicked (movie) hype. Many fans of the musical have been anxiously awaiting the movie’s release since its announcement in 2016, and even those who haven’t watched the musical have heard of its excellence (New York Theatre Guide). Additionally, it’s not just younger audiences or viewers with musical-theatre background that have interest in Wicked—Mrs. Jill Romero (S), the Intro to Business/Living Earth teacher, says, “I’ve seen the trailers, I know Ariana Grande is in it, I’ve just always heard really good things about it [the Wicked musical]…I’m familiar with the Wizard of Oz [movie]. I’ve just never had a chance to watch it [the Wicked musical]”.
Stores like Target have already begun to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the movie’s near release. Ads featuring lead actress Cynthia Ervio have started circulating, advertising products like dolls, themed treats, lego sets, blankets, etc. The Wicked-themed Stanley cup has also made an appearance in the aisles, quickly inciting a craze in Stanley collectors (Target).
If you’ve always wanted to experience the thrill of Wicked (the musical) up close and have never had the chance to, have no fear! The movie is coming out soon, and will be in your local theaters November 22nd.
