A little over a year ago, I sat in the Gershwin Theatre here in New York City, dressed in green, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wicked. It was only my second time seeing it live, though considering all the times I’ve run through the soundtrack in my head, the number could almost be much higher. To say I love this musical is an understatement, so I had some very, very high expectations for the long-awaited movie adaptation, finally brought to the big screen by director Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians).

Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.Director Jon M. Chu Release Date November 22, 2024 Studio(s) Marc Platt Productions Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Gregory Maguire , Winnie Holzman , Dana Fox , L. Frank Baum Cast Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd Character(s) Elphaba Thropp , Glinda Upland , Madame Morrible , The Wizard , Fiyero Tigelaar , Boq , Nessarose Thropp , Pfannee , ShenShen , Miss Coddle , Doctor Dillamond (voice) , Avaric Tenmeadows , Gilligan , Professor Nikidik , Glinda’s Father , Governor Frexspar Thropp , Melena Thropp , The Midwife Runtime 160 Minutes Expand

I kept saying one thing in the lead-up to seeing this movie: I needed to feel the same way I did sitting in the Gershwin, to feel excited chills rush through me at the sound of those booming opening notes. Well, that’s exactly what happened. After a lot of uncertainty, I’m happy to report that Wicked is a worthy screen adaptation of the iconic Wizard of Oz prequel. I have my quibbles with a few things, sure, but this is the kind of epic, cinematic musical that we very much deserve.

Cynthia Erivo Is Perfect As Wicked’s Elphaba
And The Movie Sticks Close To The Musical

To begin with, it’s important to remind everyone of an important detail most of the marketing has left out: Wicked, as it releases this Friday, is actually Wicked: Part One. Clocking in at two hours and 40 minutes, it is only five minutes shorter than the entire stage production, yet only comprises the events and songs of Act I. One would think that as a result, the movie will be chock-full of new additions to the plot, perhaps drawing from the original novel by Gregory Maguire.

In actuality, Wicked is a near-perfect adaptation of the musical; instead of adding new elements, screenwriters Winnie Holzman (who wrote the original book for the stage) and Dana Fox let the story breathe, taking their time with each scene and song. Wicked begins in the same fashion as the stage musical, albeit with an enticing twist that sets the stage for what’s to come in Part Two.

Glinda (Ariana Grande), the bubbly good witch of Oz, confirms the death of the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, igniting celebrations across Munchkinland that Glinda herself seems happy to partake in. Grande nails Glinda’s flighty mannerisms and earnest charm throughout the whole film, showing off her range to an impressive extent.

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Of course, there’s far more to the story here, and Wicked soon goes back in time to when Glinda first met — and, eventually, befriended — the future enemy of Oz at school. Chu takes his time teasing the arrival of adult Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), giving tantalizing glimpses at her before she fully steps into view among the new students of Shiz University. From the moment she first appears onscreen, Erivo takes full command of the role, imbuing Elphaba with steel and hope.

Often faced with ridicule and derision because of her green skin, Elphaba has no choice but to be tough when dealing with others, as shown in her first scene with Glinda (originally known as Galinda) and the other students. However, when alone for her first song, the show-stopping “The Wizard and I,” Erivo lets Elphaba’s mask drop and invites us into her innermost thoughts and feelings. It’s exhilarating to watch, with that song in particular garnering actual applause at my screening.

Elphaba & Glinda’s Relationship Is Wicked’s Biggest Strength
It Outshines Any Weaker Elements That Arise

Elphaba has magic and the sheer depth of her power attracts the attention of Shiz’s Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who swiftly takes the new student under her wing with promises of one day meeting the infamous Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). As Elphaba works on mastering her powers and clashes with her reluctant roommate, Galinda, a darker problem involving Oz’s talking animals is brewing.

The animal storyline, most prominently shown through the character of Doctor Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), has always been one of the weaker aspects of Wicked’s story, and that remains true here. Though Elphaba’s empathy for the animals’ plight is given a more prominent focus, the plot thread still doesn’t mix as well with the more compelling elements, such as Elphaba and Galinda’s friendship.

The animal storyline, most prominently shown through the character of Doctor Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), has always been one of the weaker aspects of
Wicked
‘s story, and that remains true here.

That relationship is Wicked’s beating heart, and Erivo and Grande bring it to life with a palpable chemistry that courses through the whole film. This is best shown in the key moment during the standout musical sequence “Dancing Through Life.” With the Shiz student body gathered for a dance instigated by charming newcomer Fiyero (an incredibly dashing Jonathan Bailey), Elphaba arrives in her trademark pointed hat, only to be laughed at by everyone around her.

Erivo keeps her head held high, even as tears glimmer in her eyes, in a defiant stand that took my breath away. When Grande’s Galinda joins her, I became fully sold on the love between these two women.

Wicked Goes Out On A High Note
…Though It Nearly Overdoes

There was much uncertainty about how Wicked’s visuals would ultimately hold up, and though it occasionally suffers from CGI falseness, there’s little question that Chu’s boundless imagination has served the movie incredibly well, giving way to dazzling sets and costumes. Wicked is a project bursting with wonder and whimsy, something that’s delightful to see on the big screen. The only downside to the striking visuals has less to do with the movie itself, and more with the marketing; some of the most important moments in the whole thing have already been revealed in trailers.

But never fear: I still found myself feeling like I too could defy gravity by the end of Wicked, so entranced was I by the music, the production design, and the performances.

That doesn’t dampen Wicked’s overall impact, which transported me back to how it felt to watch the show live on Broadway. It all comes to a close with “Defying Gravity”, arguably the musical’s most popular song. Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz previously explained the song is one of the reasons the movie is split in two. “Defying Gravity” is such a mic-drop moment that it needed a pause. I can understand this, though, to emphasize the epic song, Chu lets the sequence go on for far longer than it needs to, almost at the risk of lessening its impact.

But never fear: I still found myself feeling like I, too, could defy gravity by the end of Wicked, so entranced was I by the music, the production design, and the performances. I could go on for a lot longer about all my little thoughts (what else would you expect from a huge fan like me?), but I’ll leave you with this: if you loved the original musical, you’ll have a wickedly great time with this version too.

Wicked releases in theaters on Friday, November 22. It is 160 minutes long and rated PG for some scary action, thematic material, and brief suggestive material.

ProsCynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande give stunning performances.It’s a faithful adaptation of the original musical.The sets and costumes are gorgeous.Wicked has an epic feel that’s best suited for the big screen. Cons”Defying Gravity” nearly loses its impact in a drawn-out sequence.