Summary
In the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda at Shiz University, and the two's unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Cast
Cynthia Erivo
Elphaba
Ariana Grande
Galinda / Glinda
Jeff Goldblum
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Michelle Yeoh
Madame Morrible
Jonathan Bailey
Fiyero
Ethan Slater
Boq
Marissa Bode
Nessarose
Peter Dinklage
Dr. Dillamond (voice)
Andy Nyman
Governor Thropp
Courtney-Mae Briggs
Mrs. Thropp
Bowen Yang
Pfannee
Bronwyn James
Shenshen
Aaron Teoh
Avaric
Shaun Prendergast
Shiz President
Keala Settle
Miss Coddle
Sharon D. Clarke
Dulcibear (voice)
Jenna Boyd
Wolf Doctor (voice)
Colin Michael Carmichael
Professor Nikidik
Lexi Lancaster
Munchkinland Kid
Arlo Turner
Munchkinland Kid
Joey Unitt
Munchkinland Kid
Bea Ward
Munchkinland Kid
Dereke Oladele
Munchkinland Kid
Sienna-Rose Amer
Munchkinland Kid
Tarik Frimpong
Munchkinland Crier
James Dryden
No One Mourns Munchkin
Malinda Parris
No One Cries Munchkin / Chorus
Noah Prempeh
The Good Man Munchkin / Dancer
Vicki Noon
Winkie Mother
Debbie Kurup
Winkie Mother
Jasmine McIvor
Winkie Mother
Hattie Ryan
Curious Munchkin
Kirsty Anne Shaw
Skeptical Munchkin
Karis Musongole
Young Elphaba
Cesily Collette Taylor
Young Nessarose
Jarlan Bogolubov
Munchkin Bully
Isaac Bishop
Munchkin Bully
Adam James
Galinda's Popsicle
Alice Fearn
Galinda's Momsie
Clive Kneller
Emerald City Train Conductor
Michael McCorry Rose
Wiz-O-Mania Narrator
Idina Menzel
Wiz-O-Mania Super Star
Kristin Chenoweth
Wiz-O-Mania Super Star
Robin Berry
Palace Guard
Bobby Windebank
Shiz Security
Cherida Strallen
Shiz Librarian
Tom Kitely
Snow Leopard (voice)
Elizabeth Dulau
Piebald Deer (voice)
Kim Durham
Tamarin / Owl (voice)
Jennifer Woodward
Birds (voice)
Stephen Stanton
Fiyero’s Horse (voice)
Aaliyah Baker
Dancer
Aaron Bryan
Dancer
Aaron Witter
Dancer
Abbie Brown
Dancer
Adam Crossley
Dancer
Ainsley Ricketts
Dancer
Aleshia Williams
Dancer
Alex Hatt
Dancer
Alexander Thompson
Dancer
Ama Rouge
Dancer
Amber Doyle
Dancer
Anders Deeno
Dancer
Andi Vega
Dancer
Andrew Kyrzyk
Dancer
Andrew Parfitt
Dancer
Angela Andrew
Dancer
Angelica Gayle
Dancer
Anna-Kay Gayle
Dancer
Anthony James Bartlett
Dancer
Antoinette Harrison
Dancer
Arben GiGa Kapidani
Dancer
Aristide Lyons
Dancer
Armando Cruz
Dancer
Ashleigh Honeyghan
Dancer
Ashley Young
Dancer
Aysia Trinity Ianiero
Dancer
Becky Wong
Dancer
Benjamin Williams
Dancer
Beth Hinton
Dancer
Beth John
Dancer
Bianca Melchior
Dancer
Billy Sawyer
Dancer
Bismark Anobah
Dancer
Blue Makwana
Dancer
Bogdan Pascal
Dancer
Bradley Salter
Dancer
Bradley Charles
Dancer
Brittani Ferneyhough
Dancer
Brooke Milliner
Dancer
Busola Peters
Dancer
Callum Clack
Dancer
Camone Bleu Gordon
Dancer
Carl Parris
Dancer
Cece Nama
Dancer
Chanelle Anthony
Dancer
Charlie Goddard
Dancer
Charlie Waddell
Dancer
Charlotte Dickinson
Dancer
Charlotte Wildrianne
Dancer
Charlotte Wilmott
Dancer
Che Barrett-Davis
Dancer
Chima Akenzua
Dancer
Chloe Kibble
Dancer
Chris Arias
Dancer
Christie Lee Manning
Dancer
Christopher Donnelly
Dancer
Christopher Matthews
Dancer
Christopher Scott
Dancer
Clarissa Hagan
Dancer
Cleve September
Dancer
Colleen Joseph
Dancer
Collette Guitart
Dancer
Comfort Fedoke
Dancer
Connor Tidman
Dancer
Corrinne Bougaard
Dancer
Craig Stein
Dancer
Cruze Philip
Dancer
Crystal Jones
Dancer
Daisy Reynolds
Dancer
Dalvin Sollberger
Dancer
Daniel Rae
Dancer
Daniela Monteiro
Dancer
Daniella Beltrami
Dancer
Darron Gifty
Dancer
David Cottle
Dancer
Dean Street
Dancer
Demitri Lampra
Dancer
Denzil Sampson
Dancer
Dollie Henry
Dancer
Ed Munro
Dancer
Eddie Saleem
Dancer
Ediz Ibrahim
Dancer
Edward Scott
Dancer
Elise Bickley
Dancer
Eliza Hart
Dancer
Ella Goodwin
Dancer
Ella Nonini
Dancer
Emer Walsh
Dancer
Emi Ichikawa
Dancer
Emilio Dosal
Dancer
Emily Haygarth
Dancer
Emily Kenwright
Dancer
Emily Plews
Dancer
Emma Leigh-Rose
Dancer
Erica Stubbs
Dancer
Fabiane Leame
Dancer
Fatou Bah
Dancer
Faye Stoeser
Dancer
Federica Somma
Dancer
Fortune Jordan
Dancer
Frankie Johnson
Dancer
Fred Folkes
Dancer
Frederike Gerstner
Dancer
Fumy Opeyemi
Dancer
Garry Lee
Dancer
Genevieve Heron
Dancer
Glenn Hudson
Dancer
Grace Hooper
Dancer
Grace Hope
Dancer
Gustave Die
Dancer
Hannah Arbury
Dancer
Hannah Bodenham
Dancer
Hannah Kenna-Thomas
Dancer
Hannah Levitt-Collins
Dancer
Hannah Millott
Dancer
Hannah Raynor
Dancer
Hannah Veerapen
Dancer
Harry Barnes
Dancer
Hayley Jones
Dancer
Helen Siveter
Dancer
Hollie Dorman
Dancer
Honey Makwana
Dancer
Ian Harris
Dancer
Ian Oswald
Dancer
Idney De'Almeida
Dancer
Irene Salvi
Dancer
Issac Baptiste
Dancer
Jack Horner
Dancer
Jack Whitehead
Dancer
Jacqui Jameson
Dancer
Jade Joan
Dancer
Jaih Betote
Dancer
Jakub Franasowicz
Dancer
Jal Joshua
Dancer
James Collins
Dancer
James Davies-Williams
Dancer
James Lambert
Dancer
Jane Fowler
Dancer
Janine Somcio
Dancer
Jasmin Saulo
Dancer
Jasmine Eccles
Dancer
Jason Gilkison
Dancer
Thanh Jason Nguyen
Dancer
Jaye Marshall
Dancer
Jennifer Mitchell
Dancer
Jevan Howard-Jones
Dancer
Joanna Goodwin
Dancer
Joel Gooding
Dancer
Johnny Bishop
Dancer
Johnny White
Dancer
Johnny White
Dancer
Jon-Scott Clark
Dancer
Jordan Franklin
Dancer
Jordan Melchor
Dancer
Jorge Antonio
Dancer
Josh Lamb
Dancer
Joshua Gadget
Dancer
Kabuki Johnson
Dancer
Kaela Owusu
Dancer
Kailum Richardson
Dancer
Kamila Zalewska
Dancer
Kamira Samuel
Dancer
Kanah Flex
Dancer
Kane Horn
Dancer
Kane Silver
Dancer
Karen Hauer
Dancer
Kate Ivory Jordan
Dancer
Kaylor Lomas-Kirton
Dancer
Kenji Matsunaga
Dancer
Kenn Oldfield
Dancer
Kenrick Sandy
Dancer
Keron Proverbs
Dancer
Kiera Brunton
Dancer
Kieran Daley Ward
Dancer
Kieran Lai
Dancer
Kikz Katika
Dancer
Kimberley Taylor
Dancer
Kofi Mingo
Dancer
LaShay Harvey
Dancer
Laura Buckley
Dancer
Laura Dougan
Dancer
Lauren Fidget Haywood
Dancer
Leah Hill
Dancer
Lee Bridgman
Dancer
Lillianna Clifton
Dancer
Lily Louisa Field
Dancer
Lily Wang
Dancer
Lisa Spencer
Dancer
Lukas McFarlane
Dancer
Luke Jackson
Dancer
Luke Randall
Dancer
Lukus Alexander
Dancer
Lynn Jung
Dancer
Madison Davis
Dancer
Martha Gimson
Dancer
Mary Weah
Dancer
Matthew Eudu
Dancer
Matthew Koon
Dancer
Matthew Miller
Dancer
Matthew Rich
Dancer
Maya King
Dancer
Megan Charles
Dancer
Megan Westpfel
Dancer
Melody McAvoy
Dancer
Mette Linturi
Dancer
Michael John Burgess
Dancer
Michael Naylor
Dancer
Michele Zanette
Dancer
Mike Fellows
Dancer
Mikey Ureta
Dancer
Mina Neighbour
Dancer
Mira Jebari
Dancer
Miranda Chambers
Dancer
Misa Koide
Dancer
Moe Sakan
Dancer
Myron Birch
Dancer
Nadia Sohawon
Dancer
Naia Bautista
Dancer
Naomi Patterson
Dancer
Naomi Weijand
Dancer
Natasha May-Thomas
Dancer
Natasha Trigg
Dancer
Neal Piron
Dancer
Neave Harvey
Dancer
Navaeh Morgan Alidjah
Dancer
Nevin Cheung
Dancer
Nicey Belgrave
Dancer
Nicholas Stephen
Dancer
Nicole Hastings
Dancer
Nicole Valverde
Dancer
Nimmz Riaz
Dancer
Oliver Metzler
Dancer
Oliver Wheeler
Dancer
Olivia Beckford
Dancer
Olu Alatise
Dancer
Onyemachi Ejimofor
Dancer
Page Barrington Bob
Dancer
Paola Nyembo
Dancer
Patience J
Dancer
Paul N. Samuels
Dancer
Peter Francis
Dancer
Petra Hajduk
Dancer
Philip Birchall
Dancer
Prabhleen Oberoi
Dancer
Rachel Gough
Dancer
Ralitsa Chepisheva
Dancer
Ramzan Miah
Dancer
Reagen Masterson
Dancer
Rebecca Giacopazzi
Dancer
Reece Daniels
Dancer
Remi Black
Dancer
Renae Hughes
Dancer
Renako McDonald
Dancer
Ricardo Walker
Dancer
Ricky Jinks
Dancer
Robbie Griffith
Dancer
Robia Milliner
Dancer
Robyn Anne Wilson
Dancer
Roxanne Milliner
Dancer
Rufus Lacey
Dancer
Ryan Lee Seager
Dancer
Saffron Fisher
Dancer
Sam Parry
Dancer
Sam Salter
Dancer
Samantha Shuma
Dancer
Samuel Baxter
Dancer
Samuel Constanti
Dancer
Samuel Lawson
Dancer
Samuel Newby
Dancer
Sarah Seville
Dancer
Sasha Shadid
Dancer
Sasha Woodward
Dancer
Sebastian Skov Andersen
Dancer
Sera Maehara
Dancer
Serena McCall
Dancer
Shakirudeen Adewale Alade
Dancer
Shanelle Clemenson
Dancer
Shani Ross
Dancer
Shanie Blais
Dancer
Shawarah Battles
Dancer
Shawn Aimey
Dancer
Sophia McAvoy
Dancer
Stephanie Powell
Dancer
Stephen Dieyepiri Atemie
Dancer
Stephen Quildan
Dancer
Steven Pascua
Dancer
Steven Thompson
Dancer
Summer Strallen
Dancer
Tamsier Joof Aviance
Dancer
Tania Dimbelolo
Dancer
Taylor Goodridge
Dancer
Tegan Browne-Winter
Dancer
Victory Ebinum
Dancer
Marvel Ebinum
Dancer
Theo Maddix
Dancer
Theo Simpson
Dancer
Tia Denton
Dancer
Tia Holden
Dancer
Tia J. Gribben
Dancer
Tina Smallwood
Dancer
Todd Holdsworth
Dancer
Todd Talbot
Dancer
Tom Mather
Dancer
Tom Norman
Dancer
Tonyé Scott-Obené
Dancer
Tori Bew
Dancer
Tyson Simon
Dancer
Valeria Jauregui
Dancer
Vanessa Vince-Pang
Dancer
Vasilis Karayiannis
Dancer
Vicky Leung
Dancer
Will Loftis
Dancer
Will West
Dancer
Yasmin Cogan de Abreu
Dancer
Yasmin Ogbu
Dancer
Yves Cueni
Dancer
Yvonne Evans
Dancer
Zhanè Samuels
Dancer
Zion Battles
Dancer
Aisha Jawando
Chorus
Caoimhe Fisher
Chorus
Ellis Sutherland
Chorus
Gabriel Mokake
Chorus
Geoffrey Aymer
Chorus
Jack Butterworth
Chorus
Jarneia Richard-Noel
Chorus
Jennifer Saayeng
Chorus
Jonathan Bourne
Chorus
Leah St Luce
Chorus
Marilyn Cutts
Chorus
Meesha Garbett
Chorus
Melissa Jacques
Chorus
Minal Patel
Chorus
Paul Isles
Chorus
Shem Omari James
Chorus
Skylar Blu Copeland
Chorus
Soophia Foroughi
Chorus
Tafari Cazembe Edwards
Chorus
Vishal Soni
Chorus
Winnie Holzman
Wiz-O-Mania Audience Member (uncredited)
Terence Hughes
Munchkin Dignitary (uncredited)
Jason Lines
Teacher (uncredited)
Marvin Montoute
Munchkin (uncredited)
Stephen Schwartz
Emerald City Guard (uncredited)
Ricardo Ludgero Souza
Munchkin (uncredited)
Alfredo Tavares
Teacher (uncredited)
Poppy Townsend White
Girls Brigade (uncredited)
Crew
Director
Jon M. Chu
Lyricist, Musical
Stephen Schwartz
Musical, Screenplay
Winnie Holzman
Novel
Gregory Maguire
Screenplay
Dana Fox
Reviews
ChrisSawin
November 22, 2024
2
The film adaptation of Wicked is based on the Broadway musical, which is a loose adaptation of the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Both Maguire’s novel and the musical are expansions of L. Frank Baum’s original The Wizard of Oz novel was published in 1900 and its film adaptation in 1939. The musical is one of the longest-running and financially successful Broadway musicals of all time.
With a screenplay by Winnie Holzman (writer of the book of the Wicked musical) and Dana Fox (Cruella) and directed by Jon M. Chu (Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians), Wicked begins around the time The Wizard of Oz ends. The Wicked Witch of the West has died and Glinda the Good Witch is breaking the news to Munchkinland. As the munchkins celebrate and burn a giant, Wicker Man-style witch in celebration of the witch’s death, Glinda is asked by one of the munchkins if she knew the witch.
What follows is nearly three hours of how a green-skinned, outcast girl named Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) whose emotions spark wondrous fits of unbelievable magic interacts with the spoiled, entitled, and pink-infatuated Galinda (Ariana Grande) as they enroll in a magic school known as Shiz University.
Visually, Wicked is jaw-dropping and beautiful. All of the talking animals look extraordinary and every sequence with the flying monkeys is a visual highlight. Peter Dinklage voices a goat teacher named Dr. Dillamond and he has one of the most emotional arcs in the film. The bear nurse and dog doctor in the opening moments of the film look so good for what little amount of screen time they have.
Given how many VFX teams are credited in the film, it’s no wonder the CGI looks intricately gorgeous. The three VFX teams with the most credits in Wicked include OPSIS (The Fall Guy, Rescue Rangers), Framestore (Gladiator II, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), and ILM (Venom: The Last Dance, Alien: Romulus). Then there’s various work from about a dozen different other VFX teams/houses, but the most intriguing one is one called FoyProAI.
FoyProAI doesn’t have an accessible official website, but some digging around on an executive producer’s LinkedIn page gives some background. Foy stands for Fountains of Youth and FoyProAI specializes in de-aging, up-aging, and beauty work in film. They’ve worked on Smile 2, John Woo’s The Killer for Peacock, and 400 shots on Wicked.
There are moments of greatness in Wicked that mostly stem from the chemistry between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Grande’s comedic roots, specifically her time and experience on SNL, really come into play here. Grande is essentially the comedic relief as Galinda as her outgoing personality carries most sequences while Erivo has more of a straightforward performance that has more of a dry delivery.
But the generic musical formula is infuriating. Story beats pause and go out of their way to cater to multiple songs at times and it logically hurts your brain. Yes, it’s a musical and yes people are going to sing. But when the main characters are trying to get away on a flying broom as guards are pounding at the door and they spend another ten minutes dancing, crying, and bellowing about their broken friendship it becomes a nuisance. Get on the damn broom and sing on the way to your destination. It doesn’t seem that hard.
Some sequences are thrown in solely because they’ll make a big song more appealing (the whole rotating library straight out of Inception thing) or side stories that don’t go anywhere because two characters need to seem closer than they are (Elphaba and Fiyero’s awkward ten-minute excursion into the forest to free a lion cub). These are both roundabout executions that take the long way to showcase that Fiyero thinks reading is dumb and that he’s actually in love with Elphaba over Galinda.
The film adaptation seems like it’s quite faithful to its source material, but the Hollywood concept of transforming nasty and recognizable villains into sad, relatable characters that the audience roots for is a dumpster fire of a concept. Pure asshole villains can be fantastic too and often make protagonists more interesting if done right.
But the musical fantasy film treats Elphaba like dirt for the first hour and a half. Everyone looks down on her because of the color of her skin. Then when she finally becomes friends with Galinda, she develops a soft spot for mistreated animals. It’s the main reason she turns against The Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) apart from being one of the only characters who can read magic spells.
Wicked is Mean Girls at Hogwarts as everybody sucks and is superficial apart from a character that is supposed to be evil. Elphaba mostly accepts the role of wicked witch because her beliefs don’t match anyone else’s and she’s unwilling to adapt to their ways solely to keep the peace.
Wicked features some unreal VFX and even touches on some incredible ideas from time to time, but the ideas that work seem to stem from capitalizing on a fantasy world that was established over a century ago. As a film, Wicked conjures song after song and drags on and on solely because it’s a bloated musical that wants you to die a rhythmic, sometimes undecipherable, high-pitched death.
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$150,000,000.00
Revenue:
$728,145,850.00
Keywords
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