Many Broadway fans are ecstatic for the classic Broadway show “Wicked” coming to the big screen. With many famous actors and actresses such as Jeff Goldblum and Ariana Grande, this movie is expected to do well and was released on Nov. 22, 2024.
“Wicked” is a thrilling prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.” Originally a book written by Gregory Maguire in 1995, this story was adapted into a Broadway musical in the early 2000s. Wicked opened on Jun. 10, 2003 and is still currently running today. It is celebrating its 21st year on Broadway in the Gershwin Theater.
“Wicked” is a story about Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. This is a story about how Elphaba became the evil witch she was in “The Wizard of Oz.” It is also a love story between Elphaba and Fiyero, a prince from the Vinkus. Elphaba, Galinda, and Fiyero meet in school, at Shiz University, at the beginning of the show. The story follows the three as they navigate a world bigger than them with problems that are much deeper than anyone realized. This musical has undertones of serious problems in our world, like restricting rights for minorities and corrupted government officials.
Even so, this musical is filled with classic songs like “Defying Gravity” and “Popular.” There are other popular songs many might glaze over like, “For Good,” “The Wizard and I,” and “Dancing Through Life.”
This new movie stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good. Jeff Goldblum is playing the Wizard, Jonathan Bailey is playing Fiyero, and Michelle Yeoh is playing Madame Morrible.
There are mixed feelings and controversies already arising about the movie. Many “Wicked” fans were annoyed when Erivo and Grande recreated the classic Broadway poster of Glinda whispering into Elphaba’s ears. Controversy sprouted out of this topic when a fan edited Erivo and Grande’s poster to imitate the musical’s poster. Erivo was upset and posted on her Instagram story, “Our poster is an homage, not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.”
Ervio did respond to her response by saying, “I’m passionate about [the film] and I know the fans are passionate about it and I think for me it was just like a human moment of wanting to protect little Elphaba…I probably should have called my friends, but it’s fine.”
Even with all of this controversy, fans are still excited for the new movie.
