After one short weekend in the movie theaters box office, Wicked Part. 1 earned 164 million dollars making it wildly…popular. The multi-Tony award winning musical Wicked is the 4th longest running musical in Broadway history, and with every other show in the top 10 being available on the big screen, it was about time that Wicked joined the ranks.
The stage musical has a runtime of 2hr 45m while just the first part of the movie adaptation nearly matches that length. The story is based on a fanfiction series set in the years before The Wicked of OZ, providing an origin story for the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda the Good Witch.
The production of both parts of Wicked had a budget of more than 350 million dollars. This large budget did not go unnoticed. From the elaborate worlds being built from the ground up, minimizing the usage of cgi for such a fantastical world, to the constant streams of marketing, with a particular target ad making waves on social media with the quote “That’s my line”.
With a cast full of stage performers, to get the closest to the magic of the live show, they decided to perform their songs live on set, using creative sound recording to capture the dynamic vocals. To take this one step further, in the concluding song of the movie, and most would say was the most challenging, the lead actress Cynthia Erivo was literally “Defying Gravity” in her performance by swinging across the set using a mechanical harness while still belting out some of the highest notes in the musical.
With a balance of passion and talent, the cast and creators of the movie successfully captured the magic of the original show, while making it accessible to a mass audience that otherwise might not be able to afford a ticket to a big broadway show.
The movie itself was a fantastic reimagination of the broadway show. Most of the actors had successful stage careers, as opposed to some movie adaptations that have focused on Hollywood star power to sell tickets instead of musical ability to make a quality movie.
From when the lights dim to the claps at the end watching The Wicked movie-musical will be a magical event for the whole family. The cast’s musical abilities truly shine through, with Ariana Grande bringing her powerful vocal range and theatrical presence to the role of Glinda. Her performance captures both the character’s initial superficiality and eventual growth, making the transformation all the more compelling.
The chemistry between Grande’s Glinda and Erivo’s Elphaba creates the emotional core of the story. Their contrasting personalities – Glinda’s self-centered yet charismatic nature against Elphaba’s principled but misunderstood character – drive the narrative forward while highlighting deeper themes about society’s treatment of those who are different.
What makes this adaptation particularly special is how it manages to both honor the original stage production while creating something fresh for the screen. The careful attention to practical effects over CGI gives the magical elements a tangible quality, while the decision to film musical numbers live adds an authenticity that resonates throughout the entire production.
The story has a dystopian-like effect with how it shines a light on society’s real world problems. Through Glinda and Elphaba’s journey from adversaries to friends, we see how personal growth and understanding can triumph over preconceived notions and societal expectations.
Both lead actresses bring their own unique interpretations to these iconic roles while respecting the characters’ essential nature. Grande’s Glinda evolves from a privileged, popularity-obsessed young woman to someone who questions the very system that elevated her, while maintaining the character’s signature charm and complexity.
This first part of the Wicked adaptation proves that when musical theater is translated to film with respect for the source material and a focus on genuine talent over mere star power, the results can be truly magical. It sets a high bar for the concluding chapter while standing as a remarkable achievement in its own right.
