The newWickedmovie musical is a coming-of-age story focusing on the Ozian witches in their youth, known as Elphaba and Galinda, respectively played by Cynthia Ervio and Ariana Grande. Most people have heard of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch from a little magical land called Oz. They’re supporting characters representing good and evil in their iconic pink and green in the classic 1939The Wizard of Ozfilm. However,Wickedhas many storylines to cover; they are even splitting it up, withWickedPart Twobeing released in November 2025.
TheWickedmovie has been 20 years in the makingand has an interesting history regarding the lore it’s based on, from books to the Broadway show and the classic MGM film. The original movie gave viewers a gorgeous cinematic experience, going from the sepia dullness of Kansas to the bright and colorful world of Oz.Nearly 100 years later, we’re getting a new treat in movie theaters with theWickedmovieadaptation. But I’ll need to go down quite the fictional rabbit hole to explain how the newmusical was inspired in its depiction of these famous characters.
Wicked’s Connection To The Wizard Of Oz Explained
Wicked Is Based On A Musical Based On A Book Based On A Movie Based On A Book
The Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good first appeared in L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s bookThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This book was then turned into the landmark1939Wizard of Ozmoviestarring Judy Garland. Fast-forward to 1995 when Gregory Maguire wroteWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a fantastical adult novel and revisionist retelling. Then in 2003, a Broadway musical loosely based on Maguire’s book premiered, with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a script by Winnie Holzman.Wickedis still one of the longest-running productions on Broadway (viaPlaybill).
Is Wicked Based On The Movie, The Musical, Or The Book?
Wicked: Part One is arriving in 2024 with a star-studded cast and a powerhouse director, but which source material is the movie musical based on?
That brings us back to the present day, wherethe newWickedmovie is based specifically on the stage musical. Holzman also dusted off her Broadway Playbill to co-write the new movie script with Dana Fox. The path to theWickedmovie getting greenlit is also quite the matrix to follow, but it doesn’t make this new musical version any less magical. The biggest difference between Maguire’s Oz world and the original story is that the witches are themain characters ofWicked, not Dorothy with her iconic ruby red slippers.
Wicked Being A “Loose” Adaptation Of The Book Makes The Lore More Complicated
The Musical Is Darker Than The Wizard of Oz, But Not As Dark As Maguire’s Book
Fans of Maguire’s book know it has some strong adult elements in it, including bestiality, homophobia, and rape, much of which was cut from the show. Elphaba’s green skin and the negative reactions she receives her entire life, as well as the oppression of the talking Animals of Oz, clearly allude to racism. Interestingly, theWicked Witch of the West’s skin was not greenin Baum’s original story. But withThe Wizard of Ozbeing one of the first color films, actress Margaret Hamilton wore toxic green paint to make her pop on screen and to emphasize her evil nature.
Wicked’s Movie Release Is A Timely Reminder That The Book Is Far Darker Than You Think
Though the Wicked movie is rated PG, the eponymous book by Gregory Maguire includes dark themes and disturbing descriptions that could upset readers.
TheWickedmovie is expected to make some changes as well, and be its own unique enterprise. While an exact explicit adaptation of Maguire’s novel would require an R rating, this stage version appeals to a much broader audience.Wickedbook fans who never saw the musical might be disappointed in the movie’s lighter material,but it’s a smart marketing ploy to sell more tickets. However, those who are searching for a broad explanation of the story’s evolution will be even more confused when theWickedbook and play’s plots and tones are so different.
Do Fans Of The Wizard Of Oz Need To Be Familiar With Wicked To Enjoy The Movie?
The Wizard Of Oz Is A More Standard Fairy Tale Than The Adult-Themed Wicked
Fans of the originalThe Wizard of Ozfilm do not need to be experts on theWickedstage musical or Maguire book to enjoy this movie. If anything, it gives them a fresh perspective to watch the movie without knowing how it is going to end. Fans can still look forward to the nostalgia of getting a glimpse ofDorothy inWicked, not to mention Toto, the yellow brick road, and the gorgeous glittering green Emerald City. However, moviegoers wanting to return to the old story are in luck, with a confirmedThe Wizard of Ozremakeon the horizon.
Fans can still look forward to the nostalgia of getting a glimpse of Dorothy inWicked, not to mention Toto, the yellow brick road, and the gorgeous glittering green Emerald City.
While Dorothy was included subliminally in Maguire’s book, she is not featured in the stage musical beyond a shadowy silhouette. The new movie’s inclusion of her isan ode to fans of the 1939 classic and to help welcome them to theWickedworld. The winding trajectory of how the new movie came to be should not prevent fans from transporting themselves to Oz for the nearly three-hour movie. With its star-studded cast and John Chu at the helm directingWicked, I hope this movie is not as confusing as the timeline of previous iterations it is based on.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
