Wicked (2024 film) facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Wicked (2024 film)
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jon M. Chu
Produced by	Marc Platt David Stone
Screenplay by	Winnie Holzman Dana Fox
Starring	Cynthia Erivo Ariana Grande Jonathan Bailey Ethan Slater Bowen Yang Peter Dinklage Michelle Yeoh Jeff Goldblum
Music by	John Powell (score) Stephen Schwartz (score and songs)
Cinematography	Alice Brooks
Editing by	Myron Kerstein
Studio	Universal Pictures Marc Platt Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	November 3, 2024 (2024-11-03) (State Theatre) November 22, 2024 (2024-11-22) (United States)
Running time	160 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$150 million
Money made	$756.2 million

Wicked (also known as Wicked: Part I) is a 2024 American musical fantasy film. It was directed by Jon M. Chu. The story was written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The movie is based on the first part of the 2003 stage musical. That musical was inspired by Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel. The novel itself was a new look at L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film.

The film stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp and Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland. Other stars include Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. The story takes place in the magical Land of Oz. It happens before Dorothy Gale arrives from Kansas. The movie shows the early friendship between Elphaba, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and her roommate Galinda, who becomes Glinda the Good.

Universal Pictures and Marc Platt produced the original stage musical. They announced the movie version in 2012. After many delays, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jon M. Chu became the director. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were cast in 2021. The movie was split into two parts. This allowed the filmmakers to include all the important story details and develop the characters more. Filming started in England in December 2022. It paused in July 2023 because of a strike. Filming finished in January 2024.

Wicked first showed in Sydney, Australia, on November 3, 2024. It was released in the United States on November 22, 2024. The film received good reviews. It became very popular. The American Film Institute named it one of the best films of 2024. It won Best Film from the National Board of Review. It also received many other awards. It was nominated for ten 97th Academy Awards (including Best Picture). It won Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. The movie earned over $756 million worldwide. This made it the highest-grossing Oz film. It was also the highest-grossing musical film adaptation and the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2024. Many lists now include it among the best musical and fantasy films of the 21st century. The second part, Wicked: For Good, is set to be released on November 21, 2025.

Story of Wicked

The film begins in the Land of Oz. Glinda the Good joins the people of Munchkinland. They are celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. A child asks Glinda why the Witch was wicked. Glinda then tells the Witch's past. Elphaba was born with green skin. She also had strong powers. People often treated her badly because she was different. Glinda reveals they knew each other from school.

Life at Shiz University

Years earlier, Elphaba Thropp arrives at Shiz University. She is there to help her younger sister, Nessarose, who uses a wheelchair. Madame Morrible, the Dean of Sorcery Studies, sees Elphaba's powers. She offers to teach Elphaba magic privately. Elphaba accepts. She hopes to work with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Elphaba is unhappy when she has to share a room with the cheerful Galinda Upland. The two girls often argue.

One night, Elphaba follows Dr. Dillamond. He is a history professor and a talking Goat. Animals like him face unfair treatment. Dillamond tells Elphaba that other Animals are losing their ability to speak. Elphaba believes the Wizard will fix things.

Friendship and Challenges

A new student, Fiyero Tigelaar, arrives. He takes students to a party at the Ozdust Ballroom. Galinda convinces her admirer, Boq Woodsman, to invite Nessarose. This way, Galinda can go with Fiyero. Elphaba is touched by this. She asks Madame Morrible to tutor Galinda. At the Ozdust, Elphaba is made fun of for wearing a silly hat Galinda gave her. Galinda feels bad and dances with Elphaba. They later become good friends.

Dr. Dillamond announces that Animals can no longer teach at Shiz. He is forced to leave his classroom. His replacement, Professor Nikidik, shows a new cage. It is designed to stop Animals from speaking. A frightened lion cub is inside. Elphaba gets angry and uses her powers. She puts everyone to sleep except herself and Fiyero. They escape and free the cub in the forest. Elphaba realizes she likes Fiyero. But she knows he prefers Galinda.

Meeting the Wizard

Elphaba gets an invitation to meet the Wizard. Morrible told him about her magic. Galinda, now calling herself "Glinda" to support Dr. Dillamond, goes with her. They arrive in the Emerald City. They meet the Wizard, who is just an ordinary man. Morrible arrives. She and the Wizard encourage Elphaba to cast a spell from a magic book called the Grimmerie.

Elphaba casts a spell that makes the Wizard's monkey guards grow wings. She then hears the Wizard and Morrible planning to use the winged monkeys as spies. Elphaba realizes they are hurting the Animals. She sees the Wizard is not good. Horrified, Elphaba takes the Grimmerie and runs away.

Glinda follows Elphaba. She asks her to make up with Morrible and the Wizard. But Elphaba decides to fight against them. She says an emotional goodbye to Glinda. Glinda supports her but does not go with her. Guards then catch Glinda. Elphaba uses her magic to fly away on a broom. Morrible spreads lies about Elphaba. Fiyero leaves Shiz. Elphaba's step-father has a heart attack after hearing the news. Elphaba flies west, leaving Glinda behind.

Characters in Wicked

Jonathan Bailey, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (L-R) play Fiyero, Elphaba and Galinda.

Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba Thropp. She is a young woman with green skin. She becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.
- Karis Musongole plays young Elphaba.
Ariana Grande plays Galinda "Glinda" Upland. She is a popular young woman who becomes Glinda the Good.
Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero Tigelaar. He is a prince from Winkie Country. He meets Elphaba and Galinda at school.
Ethan Slater plays Boq Woodsman. He is a Munchkin who likes Galinda.
Bowen Yang plays Pfannee, one of Glinda's college friends.
Peter Dinklage is the voice of Dr. Dillamond. He is a talking Goat and history professor. He becomes Elphaba's friend.
- Luisa Guerreiro was the movement artist for Dr. Dillamond.
Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible. She is the Dean of Sorcery Studies at Shiz University.
Jeff Goldblum plays the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Marissa Bode plays Nessarose Thropp. She is Elphaba's younger half-sister who uses a wheelchair.
- Cesily Collette Taylor plays young Nessarose.
Bronwyn James plays ShenShen, one of Galinda's college friends.
Andy Nyman plays Governor Thropp. He is Elphaba's step-father and Nessarose's father.
Courtney-Mae Briggs plays Mrs. Thropp, Elphaba and Nessarose's mother.
Keala Settle plays Miss Coddle, the headmistress of Shiz University.
Aaron Teoh plays Avaric, Fiyero's friend.
Sharon D. Clarke is the voice of Dulcibear. She is a talking Bear who helps deliver Elphaba when she is born.
Jenna Boyd is the voice of Wolf Doctor.
Tom Kitely is the voice of the Snow Leopard.
Elizabeth Dulau is the voice of the Piebald Deer.
Kim Durham is the voices of the Tamarin and Owl.
Colin Michael Carmichael plays Professor Nikidik.

The Cowardly Lion appears as a cub. Dorothy Gale, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and an adult the Cowardly Lion also have a short appearance early in the film. Robin Guiver plays Chistery, the leader of the Wizard's monkey army. Stephen Stanton voices Fiyero's Horse.

Many actors from the original musical have small roles. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who first played Elphaba and Glinda on stage, appear as Emerald City Players. The musical's writer, Winnie Holzman, and composer, Stephen Schwartz, also have cameos.

Making the Film

How the Film Started

Director Jon M. Chu (left) and composer Stephen Schwartz

In the 1990s, actress Demi Moore and her team wanted to make a movie based on Gregory Maguire's book Wicked. This book retold the story of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Universal Pictures bought the rights to the book. Later, Marc Platt took over the project. Many actresses were interested in playing Elphaba and Glinda.

By 1998, composer Stephen Schwartz convinced Universal to make the book into a stage musical instead. Winnie Holzman joined to write the script for the musical. The musical Wicked opened on Broadway in 2003. It became very successful. It is one of the longest-running Broadway shows ever. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth were the first to play Elphaba and Glinda.

In 2011, Universal started planning a film version of the musical. Many actors and directors were considered. In 2012, Marc Platt confirmed the film was happening. It was first planned for a 2016 release. After more delays, Universal announced a 2019 release date. Then it was moved to 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic caused more delays. In 2021, Jon M. Chu became the director.

Getting Ready to Film

In 2017, Stephen Schwartz said the film would have "at least two" new songs. The film was put on hold several times due to other movie schedules and the pandemic. In February 2021, Jon M. Chu was announced as the new director. Alice Brooks became the cinematographer.

The supporting cast includes (Clockwise from top left) Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, and Jonathan Bailey.

In November 2021, Ariana Grande was cast as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. Grande had wanted the role for a long time. She had even performed songs from Wicked before. Erivo also had performed songs from the musical. They both worked hard to prepare for their roles.

In June 2022, Nathan Crowley was hired as the production designer. In September 2022, Jonathan Bailey joined the cast as Fiyero. In October 2022, Jeff Goldblum was cast as the Wizard. Other actors like Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, and Peter Dinklage also joined.

Cynthia Erivo worked closely with the costume designer, Paul Tazewell. She wanted Elphaba's look to be special. She chose micro braids and long nails for Elphaba. She imagined the nails were part of Elphaba's magic. The film also uses made-up words like "confusifying" to create an "Ozian" language.

Filming the Movie

The interior of the wizard's castle was inspired by Hans Poelzig's Großes Schauspielhaus.

Filming began in December 2022 in England. Director Jon M. Chu announced that the movie would be split into two parts. He said it was impossible to tell the whole story in one film without cutting important parts. Stephen Schwartz confirmed a new song would be written for one of the films.

Outdoor filming happened in Ivinghoe, UK. Early on, photographers used hang gliders to take pictures of the set. This led to the first leaked photos of Ariana Grande as Glinda. Grande said it felt like a "small and private" project until then.

Filming was paused from July to November 2023 due to a strike. It restarted in January 2024 and finished quickly. The actors sang their songs live on set. This was important to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The film used large, real sets. This included nine million colorful tulips for Munchkinland. There was also a real yellow brick road and a train for the Emerald City.

The film is not a direct prequel to the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie. This is because that film is owned by a different company. The filmmakers made sure to change details like Dorothy's ruby slippers (they are silver in Wicked). Elphaba's green skin color was also made slightly different.

Editing and Visual Effects

Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore created the visual effects. The film has 2,200 visual effects shots. The editor, Myron Kerstein, felt a strong connection to the story. He worked hard on scenes like the Ozdust Ballroom and "Defying Gravity."

The film's opening titles and other designs were inspired by the 1930s. This was a nod to the 1939 Wizard of Oz film. Post-production finished on September 19, 2024.

Music of Wicked

John Powell (pictured in 2008), composed the incidental underscore with Stephen Schwartz.

The soundtrack album for Wicked was released on November 22, 2024. John Powell composed the background music. The orchestra was much larger than for the stage musical, with 125 musicians. The music was recorded in London.

Songs in the Film

"Overture"
"No One Mourns the Wicked"
"Dear Old Shiz"
"The Wizard and I"
"What Is This Feeling?"
"Something Bad"
"Dancing Through Life"
"Ozdust Duet"
"Popular"
"I'm Not That Girl"
"One Short Day"
"A Sentimental Man"
"Defying Gravity"
"Part 1 Finale"

Some songs from Wicked: For Good can be heard in the background music. This includes "For Good" and "Thank Goodness."

Differences from the Stage Musical

New characters were added. These include Dulcibear (Elphaba's nanny), Miss Coddle (Shiz headmistress), and Galinda's parents.
Miss Coddle now handles the headmistress role. Madame Morrible is now only the Dean of Sorcery.
New scenes show Elphaba learning magic and flashbacks to her childhood. They also show Elphaba and Nessarose's sisterly bond.
The story's mature themes were made milder for a wider, younger audience.
Pfannee, a female character in the musical, is male in the film.
Boq's full name is "Boq Woodsman," and his story is more developed.
"Something Bad" is now a private meeting of talking Animals.
In the film, Elphaba only goes to Shiz to help Nessarose at first. Morrible enrolls her later.
Fiyero and Elphaba first meet in the forest.
"Dancing Through Life" takes place in the university's library. The Ozdust Ballroom is a nightclub with Animal musicians.
"Popular" is longer with more singing.
"One Short Day" is much longer. It includes a play called "Wiz-O-Mania." This play tells more about the Wizard and the Grimmerie.
The end of "Defying Gravity" is extended. Elphaba's cape grows large, like the stage effect. The scene works as a cliffhanger.

Promoting the Film

First pictures of Elphaba and Glinda were shared in April 2023. Footage with songs was shown at CinemaCon. The first trailer premiered during the Super Bowl in February 2024. More footage and the cast appeared at CinemaCon in April 2024.

A special video with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews was released in May 2024. The main trailer came out on May 15, 2024. A Lego version of the trailer was also made. A TV special about the film aired in November 2024. The film was also promoted during the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Character posters were revealed in September 2024. A new trailer used music from the 1939 Wizard of Oz film. The "What Is This Feeling?" song scene was uploaded to YouTube. Many Wicked products were released, including toys and clothes. Universal had many partners to promote the film.

An interactive website for Shiz University was launched. Fans could apply for a "semester" there. Some fans received "acceptance letters" and packages.

A "Journey Through Oz" Press Tour took place. Each city was transformed into a location from the film. Wicked also had a float in the 2025 Rose Parade.

Poster Discussion

The film's promotional poster (left) that recreated the stage musical's original poster art (right), which led to many re-edits and parodies. One in particular became a source of controversy, surrounding Erivo and her negative reaction to it.

In October 2024, a new poster was released. It showed Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande recreating the original musical poster. Some fans made their own edited versions of the poster.

Cynthia Erivo spoke out about one fan edit. She said it was "wildest, most offensive thing" she had seen. She felt it erased her and was hurtful. The fan who made the edit later deleted it. Ariana Grande said that fan edits are part of a "massive adjustment period" with new technology. Erivo later explained she was protecting the character of Elphaba.

Mattel Dolls

Mattel made dolls of characters like Glinda, Elphaba, and Fiyero. In August 2024, parts of songs from the film were leaked through the singing dolls.

In November 2024, some doll boxes had a wrong website link. It led to a different company's website instead of the movie's. Mattel apologized for the mistake. They asked parents to throw away the incorrect packaging.

Release of Wicked

The State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, where Wicked held its world premiere

Wicked was originally planned as one film. In April 2022, it was split into two parts. The first part premiered in Sydney, Australia, on November 3, 2024. Other premieres followed in Los Angeles, Mexico City, and London. It was released in the United States on November 22, 2024. It was shown in special formats like IMAX and Dolby Cinema.

Advance screenings happened for Amazon Prime members and the public. A sing-along version of the film was released in theaters on December 25, 2024. Viewers could sing along with lyrics on screen.

The film's release date changed several times. It was moved to avoid competition with other big movies. The film's story about connecting with others was seen as important during the 2024 United States presidential election.

Private screenings were held for celebrities and industry people. These included a screening at Kim Kardashian's home. Another screening was held in Manhattan with original Broadway cast members.

Film Censorship

Before its release in Kuwait, Wicked was removed from some theaters. This was due to "public ethics." However, it still played in other cinemas there. In the United States, a group called One Million Moms called for a boycott. They claimed the film promoted "witchcraft." Kristin Chenoweth, who played Glinda on Broadway, defended the film. She said it was "entertainment" and showed "girl power."

Different Languages

Wicked was dubbed into many languages. In some countries, actresses who played Elphaba and Glinda on stage returned to voice them in the film. This included Danna Paola and Ceci de la Cueva for Latin American Spanish.

Actresses who voiced Elsa from Disney's Frozen in other languages also voiced Idina Menzel's cameo. This happened in Flemish, Hungarian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Swedish.

In Norway, Wicked was released even though the musical had not been staged there. A Norwegian stage production was announced shortly after the film's release.

Watching at Home

Wicked became available to watch at home on December 31, 2024, in the United States. It was released on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on February 4, 2025. These versions include the regular and sing-along films. They also have bonus features like deleted scenes.

The film started streaming on Peacock on March 21, 2025. It will also be available on Amazon Prime Video later.

Impact of the Film

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Broadway stars, praised the film. Chenoweth said, "The whole cast is amazing. Jon Chu nailed it." Menzel added that the film was "loving and respectful of the original show." Lorna Luft, daughter of Judy Garland, called the film "breathtaking." Many other celebrities also expressed their admiration.

Elle UK said the film was a "much-needed escape." It had a powerful message of kindness, friendship, and acceptance. It also showed themes like animal rights and female friendship.

A video of a journalist saying viewers were "holding space" for the lyrics of "Defying Gravity" went viral. This created many memes. The journalist explained she meant being fully present and feeling the song deeply.

The dance from "What Is This Feeling?" was recreated by fans on TikTok and Instagram.

The film's "Defying Gravity" scene was highly praised. A video showed how the editor, Myron Kerstein, worked on the scene.

In December 2024, Collider ranked Wicked as one of the best fantasy movies of the 2020s. They called it "spectacular." It was also ranked high on lists of best movie musicals. Screen Rant called it a "groundbreaking movie musical." Josh at the Movies said it "truly may change musical cinema... for good." The Washington Post and Time Out also included it on their lists of best musicals.

Future Theme Park Rides

In February 2025, The New York Times reported that Universal Destinations & Experiences was planning new attractions based on the film. These might be added to parks like Universal Epic Universe or Universal Studios Great Britain.

Awards and Recognition

For his work on the film, Paul Tazewell became the first African American male costume designer to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

Wicked received many awards and nominations. It won three awards from the National Board of Review. It was the first fantasy film to win Best Film. Jon M. Chu won Best Director. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande received a special award for their teamwork. The American Film Institute named it one of the top 10 films of 2024.

At the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, Wicked won for its box office success. It was also nominated for Best Musical or Comedy Film. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were nominated for acting awards. It received 11 nominations at the 30th Critics' Choice Awards. It won three, including Best Director and Best Costume Design. It also received five nominations at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards.

At the 97th Academy Awards, the film received 10 nominations. These included Best Picture, Best Actress (Erivo), and Best Supporting Actress (Grande). It won Best Costume Design for Paul Tazewell. He became the first African American male costume designer to win this award. It also won Best Production Design. At the 75th American Cinema Editors Eddie Awards, it won Best Edited Feature Film. At the 2025 Kids' Choice Awards, it led with 8 nominations. It won Favorite Movie, Favorite Movie Actress (Grande), and Favorite Song from a Movie.

Sequel Film

A second film, Wicked: For Good, is planned. It will cover the second part of the musical's story. It is set to be released on November 21, 2025. The creators have also talked about possibly expanding the Wicked film universe even more in the future.