Directed by John M. Chu, the movie “Wicked” was released in theaters on November 22, 2024, starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz. “Wicked” was truly a breathtaking performance that I would recommend to anyone in search of a movie filled with laughter, incredible acting, and dazzling musical numbers.
Ariana Grande, playing Glinda in the newly released movie, started her career when she was just 13 years old. Grande has been part of multiple theatre productions, TV shows, and award-winning films all before the age of 30. However, she is most notably recognized for her Grammy award-winning albums, having achieved Number 1 on the Billboard multiple times. Some of her more popular songs include, “Save Your Tears” (with The Weeknd), “Thank U, Next”, and “7 Rings”.
While Ariana Grande has incredible talent as a pop artist, I was skeptical to see how that would play out in such a classic role as Glinda. However, she did not disappoint. Her vocal technique and body language portrayed Glinda perfectly and were vastly different from the Ariana Grande I was expecting to see on screen. She captured the girly yet powerful mannerisms of Glinda to a tee and I was ultimately delighted by her performance.
British actor and singer, Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) started her career in 2011 with the stage production of The Umbrellas of Cherbour. However, Erivo did not gain much popularity until her appearance in the revival of “The Color Purple”e on Broadway for which she won multiple awards including the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. From there, she was cast as Harriet Tubman in the biographical film, “Harriet” in 2019. Aside from acting, Erivo’s song “Stand Up”, featured in the “Harriet” soundtrack, was nominated for Best Original Song in 2019.
Without much prior knowledge of Cynthia Erivo, I was stunned by her voice and acting skills. Elphaba is such a unique character with complex songs and acting moments, and I am baffled by Erivo’s ease while playing such a difficult role. Her ability to belt notes both high and low is a thing that many classically trained singers still struggle to do. It was truly a heartfelt performance.
To truly understand this movie, it is important to also understand its history. “Wicked” was originally a novel written by Gregory Maguire in 1995, and was presented as a spin-off of the classic story The Wizard of Oz. This head-turning novel explores the complicated past of the Wicked Witch of the West and her unexpected friendship with Glinda, or as known in The Wizard of Oz – the Good Witch of the South.
In 2003, Stephen Schwartz, a producer in both the Theater and Songwriting Hall of Fame, got wind of this book and was intrigued by this fresh perspective. Little did he know this would be the first stepping stone to creating one of the most critically acclaimed Broadway musicals in theater history.
Since opening night on October 30, 2003, “Wicked” the Musical has won multiple Tony awards and nominations and has performed a total of 8,208 times on Broadway, making it the fourth longest-running Broadway show. The original casting of Elphaba and Glinda, portrayed by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, warmed the hearts of many; over time however, different actresses have since taken on these iconic roles.
I remember seeing “Wicked” on Broadway as a child and falling in love with the incredible set, costumes, and overall performance, especially from Elphaba, and Glinda. After binge-listening to the soundtrack in my room leading up to the show, I was blown away by the live version of every song and the vocal talent of each person on stage. Nothing beats an authentically live performance, free of autotune or redos, however “Wicked” the movie was authentic in its own way, with incredible special effects only possible on a silver screen.
The movie “Wicked” has won 36 awards and has been nominated for 138 more. And rightly so! Some wins include The Satellite Awards for 2025 Best Makeup, and The National Board of Review U.S.A – 2024 for Best Film. The movie is a total of 2 hours and 40 mins, and despite being lengthy, it isn’t even the full story, but simply Act 1.
The second part is set to come out on November 21, 2025, and has officially been named Wicked: For Good. This was chosen as an homage to the song “For Good” in the original Broadway Musical, which encapsulates the growth and bonding Elphaba and Glinda experience in Act 2 of this musical. It has, in fact, already been filmed but is currently undergoing the editing process in order to be ready for theaters in the best shape it can be.
I am disappointed to have to wait almost a year for the sequel, however, you can expect to see me in the theater the day it arrives, eager for more Elphie and Glinda action. Additionally, Schwartz is adding two more new songs to this movie as Act 2 lacks as many crowd-wowing ballads as Act 1.
For being a movie packed with real-life props and an intricate editing process, the cost of this movie is no surprise. The reported budget was $150 million and has grossed over $575 million making it the second-highest-grossing live-action movie musical ever. Not only this, but this movie has been met with an exceptional amount of positive reviews from the media with an 88% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a public review website.
According to the article published by Collider, interviewing Jeff Ewing, a famous critic, screenwriter, and journalist from Los Angeles, he states that “Wicked” was “an incredible cinematic musical outing and easily one of the year’s best films.” This movie appeals to many audiences but, in my opinion, does not lack its fair share of jumpscares and frightening images that may not be fit for kids around 8 and under.
One of my favorite parts of this movie was seeing the incredible chemistry between Glinda and Elphaba. It is clear as the movie progresses what a strong bond Glinda and Elphie formed despite their differences. This is most evidently seen in the last song, Defying Gravity. Although they were originally enemies, they eventually saw the beauty of individuality through each other. Their friendship is stronger than ever as they declare, “Though I can’t imagine how I hope you’re happy right now.” They understand that they must each step into glory in their own individual ways even if that means sacrificing being together.
As Elphaba prepares to leave Oz and her life behind as she knows it, she pleads for Elphaba to join her claiming, “Together, we’re unlimited. Together, we’ll be the greatest team there’s ever been. Glinda, dreams the way we planned ’em, if we work in tandem, there’s no fight we cannot win!”.
And even though, in the end, they must take separate paths, a strong sense of self-love and appreciation shines through. Following what is best for themselves, these two characters still deeply care for each other, showing unconditional love. That is what “Wicked” is truly about.
So, in the end, there is not enough praise I can give to this incredible movie. Despite my original hesitancy on some of the casting decisions, there is not an actor I would have cast differently in the end. Additionally, you can now watch “Wicked” on Prime Video for $29.99 in the comfort of your own home. You won’t want to miss this wicked good movie!
Denise Hartley • Jan 18, 2025 at 9:15 pm
Great article. I may even watch the movie now. Thank you.