“Wicked,” the movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, “Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz” released in theaters on November 22, 2024. This film had been highly anticipated by fans of the musical, fans of the 1995 book “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” and fans of the original “Wizard of Oz” story. As well as this, it caught the attention of those who had no prior background knowledge of this story.
As a fan of all thing’s musical theater and as someone who has seen the live production of this story, I had been anticipating this release since its original announcement. Much like many others who hold this story close to them, I definitely had my concerns about yet another favorite Broadway musical being poorly represented on film. But I went into the movie theater with an open mind and hope because I had heard great things about this adaptation.
I will start this review by saying that I have been to a lot of movies in my life, and I have never had to buy a ticket in advance. However, when I showed up for the 12:20 p.m. screening, they were sold out. I decided to stick around and catch the next screening, and I am glad that I got there when I did because the next one sold out very quickly. This itself was already an indication that this movie was going to be something special.
A fear of mine that I had going into watching this film was that Ariana Grande’s version of Glinda would feel less like the iconic character being played by Grande, and more like just Grande playing a character. However, this fear was put to rest immediately at the start of the film when Glinda appears to sing “No One Mourns the Wicked.” Her voice was authentic, raw, and the tone she chose to use was clearly inspired by all Glinda’s before her. Past this, her acting and singing perfectly represented this beloved character and I now cannot see anyone else respecting and representing this role to such as high of a degree as she did.
To add to this, Grande’s Glinda was perfectly complimented by the wickedly talented Cynthia Erivo who portrayed Elphaba in such a unique way that, much like Grande, filled the shoes of all those who came before her wonderfully. Erivo chose to start off soft with her vocals and slowly got stronger throughout. This decision was made to represent Elphaba’s growth as an individual throughout the first film, and I am so excited to see how she grows even more vocally to represent her rise to power.
I think part of the reason this film was so captivating was the attention to detail and choices made by John M. Chu and the rest of the directing and production team that made it feel like a true live theater experience while still being a film. There were many choices made that paid homage to live musical theater and kept the musical feeling as authentic as it would be if it were being performed live. The decision for the main cast members to sing their vocals live while filming is not something that has not been done before, but in some cases, it hindered the success of those films. This created a stereotype that live singing on film for a movie musical was not a good choice. “Wicked” is an exception to that stereotype.
The live vocals, especially during the stunt scenes, are what made this film such an authentic true musical theater performance. Most notably, Erivo’s choice to sing live during the filming of “Defying Gravity” was a decision that really stuck out to me as it clearly takes inspiration from the original production’s iconic scene where Elphaba is hoisted into the air on stage during this powerful moment with strong vocals. Choosing to film this in the same way that it is done on stage makes it clear to the audience that those involved wanted this to be portrayed how it was always meant to be, even in a movie.
Along with this, the choice to use minimal amounts of CGI and to build all of the sets and props as intricately as possible is another attribute of what makes this film so special. Live theater is so important and unique because of all the efforts made behind the scenes to build the sets, make the props, and rehearse diligently just as they do on Broadway. So, this seems like an obvious good decision to do all of this when transferring a Broadway production to the silver screen.
Perhaps my favorite moment of the film was when I almost shed a tear during “One Short Day” when Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel appeared on screen as the Wise Ones. Taking the time to acknowledge the original Glinda and Elphaba was an incredible nostalgic experience for all those who hold this story close to their hearts. Along with this, it was special to see them sort of pass the baton off to a new generation of witches.
By the end of the film, we learn it is the first of two parts. “Wicked Part Two” is set to release on November 21, 2025, just one year apart from the first release. This is yet another detail that pays respect to the traditional intermission that takes place in a typical musical production of this length. Choosing to break up this adaptation into the same two acts that would be performed with a brief intermission was not only a smart move on the business side of things but also just a cool way to continue to show respect for this story and musical theater stories alike.
Overall, I would say that this is not only my favorite movie to come out of the year 2024 but also my favorite movie adaptation of a Broadway production. I think that the attention to detail to pay homage to musical theater and the original story, dedication from all of the cast members wanting to do their characters justice as they are so important to them and many others, and the clear desire to make this film as wonderful as possible all make it as special as it is.
The best way I can describe this film is that it felt like I was watching a pro shot Broadway production, but it also still held its own as simply just a really great film for those who do not know the original production. I would recommend this movie to anyone who loves great stories and music. If you do want to watch it, I would also recommend seeing it in theaters to get the full experience of going to the theatre to watch a Broadway musical.
Nora Lee is a Dakota Student General Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].
