Theater kids across the world are no longer waiting in anticipation for the new musical-film adaptation of Wicked! The Broadway show has had an impressive twenty-plus-year run, and was originally adapted from Gregory Maguirelt’s novel by the same name. Now, Wicked is also officially the highest grossing film of 2024.
The film opens with a look at what’s to come in Part Two, with a sneak peak of some ”familiar friends” on their way to see the wizard. Following that, the camera flies over the well known Emerald City as the overture begins to play. The hook of the film happens just moments later when the people of Munchkinland gather to announce the death of the Wicked Witch (Elphaba). After the opening number, Glinda (The Good Witch) is about to leave when she is faced with a question from one of the citizens of munchkinland “Is it true you were her friend?” she asks. The whole film is based on this one question. The story is a flashback to when Glinda and Elphaba “crossed paths at school.” Wicked is the story of two good friends — no — two BEST friends, on a life changing journey.
Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey are among the cast. Some would call it a dream cast. Each one of these cast members put their heart and soul into this film. Fans went crazy when they heard that Grande was slated to play Glinda (or Galinda) in Wicked. Her performance was beyond amazing. She fell in love with her character, and that’s what makes a good actress. Speaking of, what can’t Grande do? Erivo, as Elphaba, is another powerhouse singer and is one of the most talented voices; She knows how to move the audience with just her voice. Known for her original performances on Broadway in The Color Purple, seeing Erivo as Elphaba was really a life-changing experience. Some might say she defied gravity with her performance in Wicked! Lastly, fans went CRAZY over Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero. Bailey is such a talented actor and everyone loves his work. He is known for his performance as Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton. Bailey’s version of “Dancing Through Life” definitely puts him in stiff competition with the other Fiyeros who have portrayed the character on the Broadway stage. Unfortunately, no-one can beat Aaron Tveits (sorry!). The supporting cast for Wicked includes Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Ethan Slater as Boq, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.
Director Ron M. Chu is famous for a film back in 2018, Crazy Rich Asians, which many people would agree to be a perfectly directed film. He has impressed his fans once again with Wicked. When it comes to costumes and sets, he knows what he’s doing. Some things that stood out to most viewers was that every set was handmade, and when it came to actual set pieces there was no CGI used at all. The only CGI used during the making of the film was for the flying monkeys.
One of the most loved aspects of the film according to fans was the choreography of the musical numbers. Numbers like “What is This Feeling,” “Dancing Through Life,” and “No One Mourns the Wicked” had fans in awe while watching. The man behind the magic was choreographer Christopher Scott. Wicked fans may know his choreography from movies such as Jem and The Holograms or Disney Channel’s Lemonade Mouth. His fans were blown away by the choreography in each one of his films. For Wicked, he really went above and beyond. Whether it was a simple move like Glinda walking down the steps, Fiyero dancing on a table, or Elphaba flying through the air, Scott really knew how to bring the film’s dance aspects to life.
Overall, I think everyone involved in this film knew what they were doing. Would I say Wicked is a cinematic masterpiece? No, I think this was a good way to keep the legacy of Wicked alive and to keep fans hooked for Part Two. The movie deserves a 5/5, even though the film has its flaws and everyone has their own opinions, the point of this article is to make sure credit is given where credit is due. This movie was beautiful in every aspect, from the music, to the dancing, and even the dialogue. Many fans are left in anticipation for Part Two, Wicked: For Good, but in the meantime, they will continue to enjoy Part One.