Wicked on Broadway just celebrated 21 years since opening in 2003 and has yet to leave the stage since. So when a movie adaptation was announced, Wicked fans counted down the day til release. With its release on Nov. 22, the film lined up with fall break and allowed students to flock to theaters throughout the week.
The main feature piquing interest for viewers is the star-studded cast: pop star, Ariana Grande, and actress, Cynthia Erivo, starring as Galinda and Elphaba. The movie also featured Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero. In each interview, you could feel the love between the leads that they grew since filming began in 2022.
After seeing the cast, I entered the theater with high hopes, specifically for the music, and was not let down. The consistently enthusiastic reviews raving about Erivo and Grande’s blend left me on the edge of my seat to see if they could truly live up to the Broadway stars before them. Erivo’s voice is a powerhouse, as showcased in each song, but more importantly, the perfect pair to Grande. Aside from the stars of the show, the ensemble backed up the vocals at every chance with their passion. In the song “What Is This Feeling”, the dancers and chorus join in with gusto, completing the song with it’s viral background choreography and finishing my favorite song. The ensemble was filled with Wicked Broadway alums, a beautiful nod to the original run and a chance to reunite cast members.
On the other side of the lens, the technical side of Wicked was purposefully designed down to the last detail. Set designer Nathan Crowley, who also worked on Wonka, used a bright color palette to create a feeling of whimsy. Crowley went as far as planting 9,000,000 tulips for the opening number to avoid CGI and each village or school scene was built by hand. Even Erivo’s green skin was painted on each morning, totaling up to four hours a day without counting removal, to add realism to her character. I was impressed by everyone’s dedication to the film and thought it made each scene so much more impactful.
I already have seen Wicked twice now in theaters and encourage everyone to buy their tickets now! From the intricate costumes to every added riff, I can’t give this movie any less than five stars. Wicked surpassed all of my expectations, leaving me excited for part two to be released in Nov. 2025.
