“Pink goes good with green” and Ariana Grande goes good with Cynthia Erivo. For over 20 years, Wicked has graced the stage on Broadway gaining loyal fans along the way. Now, the story defies gravity in a two-part, big-screen masterpiece.
Wicked Part I, was released on Nov. 22, with Wicked Part II coming out in 2025, has already broken the record for the highest-grossing domestic debut of a movie adaption of a Broadway musical. According to yahoo.com, the film made $214.3 million at the domestic box office in the first week. This success is largely because of the palpable chemistry between Grande and Erivo.
Director John Chu took the creative lead alongside Erivo as Elphaba and Grande as Glinda to portray the iconic story on the big screen. Wicked is the retelling of The Wizard of Oz through the lens of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, as viewers are given the opportunity to understand the perspective of “evil.” The story begins with the birth of Elphaba and focuses on her unlikely alliance with a classmate she meets at university, Glinda. At its core, Wicked is a story of friendship, belonging and the blurred line between evil and good.
It took over three years to cast, film, edit and produce this masterpiece, and for good reason. With only a $145 million budget, the majority of the set was handcrafted as opposed to using the now-normalized CGI effect. Over nine million tulips were planted to create Munchkin Land, there was a real brick road painted yellow and a constructed Emerald City was built based on Chicago’s White City. These real sets in the film allows viewers to fully immerse themselves into the story and feel like they are traveling through Oz with the actors and actresses.
The complex character of Elphaba is perfectly captured through Erivo’s acting. She is defiant, yet vulnerable, on the fringes of society, yet beloved by viewers. The power Elphaba yields is flawlessly displayed through Erivo’s captivating vocals, especially in her two solos, “Defying Gravity” and “The Wizard and I.” Our appreciation only grows after learning that Erivo sang live while performing her own stunts, making each performance that much more difficult.
Although some may have their reservations about Grande being cast as Glinda, the minute the movie started, Grande seamlessly slipped out of her pop-star persona and into the role of Glinda. We came into the theater with high expectations for Grande’s singing, as she is known for her notably wide vocal range, yet we were also delightfully surprised by her skillful acting. We found ourselves laughing along to Grandes little quips, striking facial expressions and perfect comedic timing. It is clear through Grande’s performance that she had spent serious time perfecting her portrayal of the vain, yet endearing character of Glinda.
What is a musical without breathtaking vocals and invigorating choreography? It was undoubtedly hard to choose, but our personal favorite musical number was “What is This Feeling?” It had a foolproof recipe for entertainment: humor, dance numbers and a catchy tune. In this performance, Elphaba and Glinda are begrudgingly adjusting to being roommates at Shiz University. There are clear sarcastic undertones in this piece that are emphasized through vocal dynamics and astute body expression, giving it a comedic flare.
Another aspect of this film that made it truly one of a kind was the numerous intentional details such as easter eggs and small cameos. The movie begins with a redrawn vintage Universal logo as a nod to the Wizard of Oz. There are also a couple of allusions to Act II such as when the camera cuts to the iconic pair of ruby red slippers and a quick flash in the beginning movie to Dorothy walking up the yellow brick road. Later in the movie, the original Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, make a small appearance singing in the Emerald City to the current Glinda and Elphaba.
The best movies create a compelling alternate reality and Wicked does just that. This movie is bound to make history as it has the ability to resonate with viewers while simultaneously taking us to a mystical world. We most definitely will be watching Wicked Act II when it comes out in November 2025.