With its picturesque lore, vibrant songs and momentous morals, the new movie Wicked (Part I) evokes nostalgia among the long-standing fans, while sparking the interest of fandom newcomers. Given its ubiquitous connection to the Wizard of Oz, it also affects many generations: let’s dive into the history and spectacular impact of Wicked, while waiting for the release of Part II !
From the outset: the early days of the Land of Oz
The legendary story of Oz begins with a classic of the American literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, as early as 1900. Written by American author Lyman Frank Baum, the children’s novel is the very first book in a long series: fourteen in total, such as The Emerald City of Oz and The Lost Princess of Oz. It recounts the tales of Dorothy Gale, a vivacious country girl from Kansas who is suddenly swept away by a cyclone and brought down into the Land of Oz, a magical place where she makes the acquaintance of the notable Oz characters: The Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion and The Tin Man. As she seeks her way back home, the reader follows her tumultuous whereabouts in uncharted territory, knowing that only the Great Wizard of the Emerald City may be able to help her. While The Wonderful Wizard of Oz had a fair share of spin-offs and adaptations, one in particular will retain people’s attention.
Cynthia Erivo © Universal Pictures
Timeless milestone in the history of Hollywood, The Wizard of Oz, released in 1939, is a musical fantasy movie based on the original novel (1900) that truly moulded and set in stone the world’s collective imagination of Oz. Everyone has a picture of the film burned into their mind, or a song they hum from time to time, the most famous one irrefutably being the tear-jerking “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.
An unseen angle: Wicked, the book
In the original book and movie, we already have a chance to meet Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West, the main villain of the storyline, and Glinda the Good Witch, who welcomes and guides Dorothy throughout her journey.
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, 1995 novel written by American author Gregory Maguire, is the first book in The Wicked Years series and aims at turning the spotlight on the wicked witch, originally presented as a villain in the 1900 book and 1939 movie, who he calls “Elphaba”, a name crafted as a tribute to L. Frank Baum (his initials being LFB). In a very ingenious and unconventional fashion, the author offers a new, complex perspective by exploring a darker rendition of the wicked witch, mapping out her struggles, predicaments and outcast life.
Cynthia Erivo © Universal Pictures
Through her lenses, Maguire challenges the nature of evil and gives us a more mature and chilling version of the original plot, which was arguably already exhibiting dark themes. Progressively, the line becomes blurred as to whom is good or evil between the two witches: the Wicked Witch becomes likeable and simply misunderstood, whereas the Good Witch seems opportunistic and wrongful.
Maguire’s chronicle in song: Wicked on Broadway
Wicked, The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, which premiered in 2003, is a musical and adaptation of Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The story is told from the viewpoint of the two witches Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (Glinda the Good), way before Dorothy dropped in. Opposites on all fronts, Elphaba and Glinda start loathing each other but end up forming an extraordinarily unique and sincere friendship, interspersed with Elphaba’s questioning on social injustice, her differences and her unflinching desire for justice.
Ariana Grande-Butero and Cynthia Erivo © Universal Pictures
The musical originally stars Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Galinda, and offers a range of powerful and alluring songs, the most preeminent one being “Defying Gravity”, without a doubt.
To this day, Wicked is still one of the most acclaimed musicals on Broadway, as it won numerous awards, among which the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Lyrics, as well as the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
At last! Wicked makes it to the big screen
Directed by American producer Jon M. Chu and adapted from Maguire’s Wicked,and in turn The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked movie, released in November 2024, has already become the top-grossing movie adaptation of a Broadway musical. Starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda, the new musical fantasy is the first chapter of a two-part film showcasing the enigmatic adventure of Elphaba from her birth and bringing the untold story of the witches of Oz to the big screen.
Ariana Grande-Butero © Universal Pictures
Owing to her talents at magic, Elphaba, born with a major difference, her green skin, and ostracized by all her whole life, is immediately spotted by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), headmistress of Shiz University, the college Elphaba’s sister Nessarose plans on attending. Elphaba then promptly encounters Galinda, a bubbly, exuberant and highly sought-after student, who she is forced to share a room with. While their relationship starts off rocky, it quickly develops into a fervent and endearing friendship…
Personifying the ambiguous meaning of wickedness
“Are People Born Wicked? Or Do They Have Wickedness Thrust Upon Them?”
From one of the very first lines, we already get a glimpse of what the plotline is conveying. Just as Maguire’s work and the Broadway stage show suggest, Elphaba’s whole stance and choices turn out to be understandable, commendable even, whereas Galinda seems to be engulfed by the very same fragmented system Elphaba is trying to dismantle, almost out of interest, rather than unknowingly.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butero © Universal Pictures
Beneath its innocent guise, Wicked delves deep into crucial topics such as racial prejudice, social class discrepancy, animal abuse, misuse of power, corruption and bullying. Against all odds, Oz seems to be riddled with prejudice and discrimination and Elphaba’s journey to become the Wicked Witch eventually culminates in an act of rebellion against the tyranny of Oz. What if the Land of Oz and its astounding magic was all just a facade?
This train of thought leads the viewer to reflect on the true face of evil, how everyone is a potential villain in someone else’s narrative and, under tragic circumstances, how the end sometimes justifies the means. In this dichotomous now paradoxical world, what seems self-evident is not always as cut and dried as one would tend to believe, and the superfluous elements of hearsay often take up more space than necessary.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butero © Universal Pictures
In the magnificent timeline of the world of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West’s unfair treatment that was already subtly perceivable in the original scenario becomes Elphaba’s whole life, so much so that the roles are reversed from the viewer’s standpoint: she is the one being revered by the audience, and Glinda almost demonized. In fact, Maguire’s book reinforces that idea, where the musical and the 2024 movie rather provide a more agreeable depiction of Glinda, painting her in a favorable light.
Final thoughts: not a single wrong note!
As a lifetime fan of the lore of Oz and Wicked, mainly the musical, I found myself mouthing the lines and lyrics throughout the whole movie. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s performance on screen, their talent and the dedication they show to their respective roles are exceedingly admirable and emotionally-driven, making it incredibly difficult not to shed tears as a viewer. Imagining how the plot would translate on film was not an easy feat, but the sceneries, colors and reverie-like landscapes blew me away and went far beyond my expectations.
The Wizard of Oz, 1939, Margaret Hamilton and Judy Garland © Wikipedia Commons
By keeping the quirks and famous lines of the show in the scenario, the new movie remains faithful to the Broadway version, but the screenplay was also modernized to better fit the big screen. Before anything else, the prodigious plotline and twists keep the audience on their toes until the last second. As for The Wizard of Oz (1939), the original is worth watching in order to familiarize with the distinct atmosphere and setting, especially considering how intertwined both pieces of cinema are, however it is not a requirement to enjoy Wicked at all. The second part, Wicked: For Good, is set to release in November 2025, almost exactly a year after Part I. All in all, the perfect way to end the year on a high note!
Wicked – Official Trailer:
