Introduction

Wicked is a storyline that provides an alternative perspective while narrating the present suppressed accounts of the two witches; Elphaba (known as the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch). The story started as a bestseller by Gregory Maquire and was transformed into a stage musical in 2003, which was a huge hit. Having been featured on Broadway and West End for over two decades, Wicked made its way to the movies in 2024.

The movie takes a deeper look at how Elphaba and Glinda view their friendship, love, and ambition in the land of Oz long before Dorothy stepped onto the stage. With mesmerizing special effects, engaging plotlines, and great musical dramatic compositions, Wicked takes the audience through the merry and low points of the lives of the witches.

Release Date

The release of Wicked made it a memorable day for the lovers of the movie as well as the fans of the theatrical production. The highly anticipated motion picture made its debut on the 22nd of November 2024, which was right before the festive season and promised to target a larger viewership. The time of year was particularly good for the studio, as Thanksgiving weekend in the United States is a very popular occasion for going to the movies with one’s family. As expected, the film attracted dramatic box office takings during its opening week, with regular viewers of Broadway, and newcomers to this setting, all visiting theaters ready for this awaited conversion.

Film Location

In order to enhance the already multitalented musical, which is Wicked, the fantasy world of Oz was visualized by shooting in both intricately detailed practical locations and in CGI enhanced environments. The film was set up in the UK in Pinewood Studios that does have all of the required attributes to assist in the large scaled filming. In terms of construction, indoor sets of key locations such as Shiz University, the Emerald City, and the Witch’s Castle were effectively made in order to capture the essence of the stage musical while adding additional perspective into the story that was being transferred into the cinematography.

Moreover, some of the external parts were shot in a couple of places in Iceland and Scotland where other parts of Oz that needed to be more bold and exotic were needed and these countries delivered perfect settings for such scenes. The remarkable landscapes incorporated into the film made it more realistic for the audience as they were able to relate to the journey of Elphaba and Glinda.

Songs

A center of attention both for the critics and fans alike is the music featured in Wicked – it is truly unforgettable. Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the original musical, came back to create the film’s score as well. Songs you’ve come to know and love, such as “Defying Gravity”, “Popular”, and “For Good”, were also included in the movie but tailored to the dramatic elements of the movie. These songs were always popular among the fans and people liked their depth, words and melodies.

Some of the changes also included the introduction of several new songs written for the movie by Schwartz adding lyrics unique to this version of the story. Those new songs helped to fill in the voids existing experience the stage show and the film itself by expanding on character and plot development.

Arguably the most memorable song of the film is “Defying Gravity”, featured in the final parts of the movie and might be considered the emotional highlight of the film due to its powerful visuals and immaculate voice performance. The concepts of the song such as empowerment and acceptance of one self are still relevant now and makes this song a great liberation anthem.

Director

What makes Wicked (2024) highly impressive is how Jon M. Chu has approached bringing the stories to the big screen, which is something quite challenging, as this musical has quite a reputation as a stage show. Musical films are not new to Chu, as he directed the popular musical In the Heights (2021), which had a captivating story and stunning visuals as well.

In the case of Wicked, Chu had to respect the Broadway aficionados without compromising the story in order to reach a wider scope. He made sure to maintain the integrity of the story while presenting it in an entirely new and modern way through his direction. He skillfully added sweeping shots and imaginative special effects and pacing to the extent that while the movie feels grand in scope, the emotions of the characters stay at the forefront. Chu’s background in visual storytelling allowed him to build an Oz which excessively wrapped up the viewers in the narrative while also being magical.

Producer

Marc Platt, a father Figure in the production of many La La Land and Into the Woods, was the main producer of Wicked. It should be noted that Platt was also responsible for the production of the original Broadway production of the musical, which meant that he was creatively oriented to the characters and their story for the film. The task was to convey the spirit of the stage version and at the same time take a step forward in those areas that are possible only in cinema.

Having control of the movie in a proper way there, Platt was able to allow the view of the wicked to be seen through the eyes of the newer audience. Working together with Jon M. Chu and Stephen Schwartz, as well as with the production team, P. Platt managed to realize this big and ambitious project.

Cast

In the feature screenplay by Stephen Schwartz based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West who is shown in a very different light than in movies. Garnering much praise for her deep, emotional voice, Erivo succeeded in portraying this complex character that has moments of weakness as well as strength.

• Another pop sensation Ariana Grande steps up to play the role of Glinda, the Good Witch in the film. In fact, Grande’s comic relief was an asset to the production as she was able to portray Glinda’s vanity in a very sympathetic light, allowing her character to gradually touch Elphaba’s heart.
• Fiyero, the character played by Jonathan Bailey is the male protagonist who is engaged with the two witch protagonists. His portrayal of Fiyero worked to intensify the emotional drive within him where the character had internal conflicts making things more engaging.
• Jeff Goldblum is quite excellent at playing The Wizard, who brings another dimension to this story which plays out against a backdrop of wider conflict throughout the movie. The weight that Goldblum has within himself allowed the character to be curious as it depicted the eccentricity that Goldblum enjoys portraying.

Trailer

The first official trailer for Wicked, which debuted in the summer of 2024, took social media by storm after its release. It had parts of the favorite songs “Defying Gravity,”” and “Popular,” spectacular visual effects, and plenty of action that appealed to the show’s followers and drew intrigue from those who had no idea what the show on stage was about.

The trailer gave the audience a wider view of the world of Oz, expanding the universe by revealing wide shots, individual character moments, and build-ups that depicted the rivalry between Elphaba and Glinda. It offered beautiful sights to the audience, preparing them for the enticing and colorful world that Jon M. Chu had in store. Soon after, the trailer was released, and it was on everyone’s timelines, building excitement for the film’s release.

Plot

Officially, Wicked (2024) retains most of the storyline from the original musical, with certain aspects modified to better suit the movie format. This movie features Elphaba, an unusual young woman with green skin, who has an untold story of magical powers. Due to her differences, Elphaba is alienated and goes to Shiz University where she comes across Glinda, one of the revered and pretty girls in school.

The two women initially become enemies due to tension from their contrasting personalities, but later become best friends. While Elphaba trains and develops her magic, she also masters seeing deeper than the surface and begins to notice the rot and wrongdoing present in the society, especially from the Wizard of Oz, who, as it turns out, is a two-faced backstabber.

The very depiction of Elphaba transitioning from a ‘misunderstood’ character to the infamous Wicked Witch of the West is the crux of this plot. Along the way, she endures some heartbreaks as she also has to make tough choices regarding her friendship with Glinda who is torn between supporting her friend or joining the rulers of Oz.

It also makes Wicked (2024) a love story: about the trials that love and friendship bring when one is ready to cross the boundaries set by society. These themes, along with identity, do make the movie deep but entertaining too.

Reviews

When it premiered, Wicked was well received by both critics and audiences. The admirers of the musical commended the movie for being in line with the core of the stage performance while using the opportunities of the films to develop the universe of Oz. Several reviews praised the performers, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, underlining their vocal prowess and emotional intensity in their parts.