By Randal C. Hill
“Wicked” tells the story of the Witches of Oz. The tale mainly focuses on Elphaba Thropp (Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo), who’s rejected by many because of her unusual skin. (It’s green!) She also has yet to discover and appreciate her true power. Elphaba is the polar opposite of the gorgeous, spoiled, fawned-over and overly ambitious Glinda Upland (global superstar Ariana Grande), who has grown up basking in the warmth of privilege and power.
The pair meet at Shiz University in the Land of Oz, where they form an unlikely but rock-solid friendship. Following an encounter with the Wizard himself, that friendship eventually brings them to a crucial crossroads.
“Wicked” is the film version of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. The play, of course, drew from L. Frank Baum’s enduring 1900 novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
Jon M. Chu directed the movie. In 2022, he decided that what is coming in November will be termed “Wicked,” while the second part will release in November 2025 as “Wicked Part Two.”
Related: Movie Preview: “Wolfs” Twists More Than a Bowl of Pretzels
He explains, “As we prepared the production over the last year, it became impossible to wrestle the story of ‘Wicked’ into a single film without doing some real damage to it… As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years. We decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not just one ‘Wicked’ movie but two!”
Be prepared to be bombarded with a wide range of “Wicked” merchandise just in time for the holiday season, as marketing promotions will include toys, apparel, books and beauty products all waiting to be thrust into eager young hands.
See “Wicked” in theaters beginning November 22.
