Taken from the footlights of Broadway, Wicked has made its debut on the big screen. Starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, the movie became an instant hit. From theatrical fans to movie critics, many have enjoyed the new take on this story. On the popular movie rating site Rotten Tomatoes, Wicked claimed its spot in the top 10 movies.
The movie is the story of two witches, Glinda, who is popular and loved by the school, and Elphaba, who is feared and unwelcome by her classmates. The witches start off the school year despising each other, and they don’t get along well. As they spend more time together, they form an unlikely bond, becoming best friends. When an amazing opportunity presents itself to Elphaba, she finds out a shocking truth, which changes the way she views the world she lives in. This tale follows the two girls and gives the back story to the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West from the beloved classic, The Wizard of Oz, and an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s novel “Wicked”.
This movie runs a full 2 hours and 40 minutes, packed with songs and fun made-up words. There is even a scene where the first actors to play these two witches on Broadway, Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, sing a song in the Emerald City. If you’re willing to sit and watch for that long, resisting the urge to sing along, then this movie is perfect for you. Movie theaters have even begun showing sing-along versions for those who need to let their inner theater kid shine. You can also rent or purchase on Prime Video or Apple TV if you want to be able to sing in the comfort of your own home.
Many are reviewing Wicked and are often left with mixed feelings. Some were expecting more from the story and wanted a more satisfying end. But, what these reviews dismiss is the fact that this is only part one of the two-part story. The movie ended where the intermission would be in the Broadway show, so we have only seen half of the new spin on this story. Wicked: For Good, is the second part of this Broadway-inspired show. This part is set to come out in theaters on November 21st, 2025, exactly a year after the first part was released. Wicked has a total of 11 songs, such as “Popular” and “Defying Gravity”, and the upcoming movie will include more songs from the Broadway soundtrack. This part has already been filmed and only needs to be edited.
Besides the long running time, this movie is rated PG and is a great movie to watch with family or some of your closest friends. The movie shows many inspiring messages, and we can see this between the two main characters. Glinda and Elphaba are very different from each other, but they learn to get along and care about one another. This movie shows empathy and that we should look beyond someone’s looks and not judge them. During an interview, Grande discussed how she hopes people will start being more empathetic towards others after watching this film.
