Wicked has always been popular, but its film adaptation has brought it to a new level.
Glinda and Elphaba. The Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West. Initially a book, Wicked tells the backstories of two well-known witches from The Wizard of Oz. In Wicked, they transform from minor characters to the main characters, characterised as estranged best friends from school. It tells their story from Shiz University to the present day, the day after Dorthy melted Elphaba for the Wizard of Oz. It pulls viewers into a captivating new storyline that often causes surprising sympathy for the once 100% evil Elphaba and angst for the once 100% good Glinda.
On Broadway, Wicked has been running since 2003, making it one of the longest-running shows in history. This is no easy feat, and demonstrates the popularity of the story. In 2003, the actresses for Glinda and Elphaba were Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, who are now Broadway legends. Even in its first year, Wicked took the world by storm, causing people to flock to the Gershwin Theatre in New York City to see it. It brought new attention to a previously lesser-known story of Glinda and Elphaba. Shown in two parts, it shows how Glinda and Elphaba were originally enemies at Shiz, but eventually became the closest of friends. After this friendship journey, they are torn apart once again when Elphaba decides to go against the Wizard and Glinda to do what she thinks is right. Act 2 details their trials and tribulations of their friendship, ultimately concluding with a big plot twist. Through exciting songs, beautiful sets and wonderful acting, Wicked became a well-deserved phenomenon on the stage. This, however, was only the beginning.
When the Wicked movie was announced, a newfound craze for Glinda and Elphaba’s stories began. Originally announced by Universal in 2012, the frenzy really began in 2021. This was because two well-loved stars were cast to play these beloved characters: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. They were accompanied by a star-studded cast of Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum and many others, furthering the excitement. Along the way, a decision was made by director Jonathan M. Chu and other executives: the movie would be split into two parts, just like the Broadway show. This makes the total run time for both parts about 4 hours and 50 minutes, almost two times the length of the musical. This was done to ensure all the details would be preserved in the film. After its release in November 2024, Wicked: Part One drew in many fans of the show, some who had never seen the musical and others who were long-term fans. The beauty of the film was unmatched—the combination of cast expertise, amazing singing ability and beautiful set design made the movie itself a phenomenal success. A special cameo was made by members of Wicked royalty: Chenowith and Menzel! This furthered the connection between the musical and film adaptations. Beyond the box office, it also helped out Wicked on Broadway, causing it to become most demanded musical on Broadway.
As release day for Wicked: Part Two, now called Wicked For Good, has passed, the frenzy around Wicked has continued. There have been countless collaborations with brands, including Starbucks, Dunkin’, Stanley, R.E.M. Beauty, Lego and many more. There have also been many entertainment collaborations, such as “Wicked Night” on the hit show Dancing with the Stars, in which the dancers prepared special dances to the songs featured in Wicked. It was an astounding success, which drew further attention to the movie. Before the release on November 21, 2025, the cast went on worldwide press tour to promote the movie. Each carpet serves fans with new looks and strengthens the excitement even further. The rollout of Wicked parts one and two is something that needs to be studied, and its positive success on the musical is truly amazing.