Ding Dong, Wicked is Here!
A Spoiler-Free Review
The film adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical “Wicked” was released on Nov. 22. Inspired by the 1939 movie “The Wizard of Oz” and directed by John M. Chu, the long-awaited movie has already earned $477.8 million at the box office worldwide, quickly cementing itself as one of the highest grossing film adaptations of a Broadway musical of all time. The movie stars pop icon and singer-songwriter Ariana Grande as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and EGOT-nominated actress and singer Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Prior to the release, many speculated whether or not Ariana was casted based on talent or fame. However, she proved all of the doubters wrong and completely blew away the expectations of audiences and critics alike. Before landing this role and even beginning her music career, she started off acting on Nickelodeon as Cat in “Victorious.” Throughout the years, she has said numerous times that she knew her dream role was to play Glinda in “Wicked” after watching the musical on Broadway at just ten years old with her mother. After the show, she had the opportunity to meet Kristin Chenoweth, the original Glinda, backstage. She told her “I want to be Glinda.” Because of this, many moments in interviews became especially emotional for Grande and Erivo as well.
The musical extravaganza, boasting a runtime of two hours and forty minutes, includes many tear-jerker and cathartic scores such as “No One Mourns The Wicked,” “The Wizard And I,” and “Defying Gravity.” On the other hand, the movie also contains some playful and whimsical melodic moments like “What Is This Feeling?” “Dancing Through Life,” and “Popular.” All in all, these songs’ true emotions are conveyed to their fullest extent thanks to the vocal ability of the cast. The soundtrack, appropriately titled “Wicked: The Soundtrack,” accompanied the release of the film and is now available to listen to on all streaming platforms.
The second part of the movie, based on the second and final act of the Broadway musical, features two brand-new songs written and composed specifically for the film by the original composer of the Wicked soundtrack and Academy Award-winner Stephen Schwartz. In an interview with The Messenger, he explained that “the storytelling required it, and therefore they were created—the intention was that they were organic and not imposed on the movie.” “Wicked: For Good,” will be released in theaters on November 21, 2025.
