The Wizard of OZ just got a prequel? The short answer is yes! Wicked is the newest revisioned installment to the Wizard of Oz world. Released November 22, 2024, the movie dives into the background of the good witch of the South and the wicked witch of the West based on the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Wicked is a movie that is a film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. Characters Glinda and Elphaba played by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo grow to be friends who have their relationship, following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz. They later reach a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.
The movie opened with $163 million opening weekend. With a budget of $145 million, they performed very successfully. On top of a financial success, fans and regular movie goers fell in love immediately with its bright, vibrant colors and amazing character development. Wicked delivered some of the greatest character performances of the year in the form of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s characters Glinda and Elphaba. Despite the film’s strengths’, there are some major issues. For example, the movie feels like a slog and there are many scenes that exist just to pad the run time.
Students who watched the movie claimed it was surprisingly really good, Alex Tatroe claimed that she, “Really liked the music in it, as well as the celebrity cameos!” Even more students are planning on seeing the movie as soon as they can!
Additionally, many people who have seen the movie are excited to see part two when it comes out in 2025 because of how amazing the first movie turned out to be!
