Much like the Barbie movie in 2023, Wicked has transformed pop culture in multiple ways, largely due to the massive influence of Media, Brands, and Interviews. 

In 2023, the Barbie Movie was a huge cultural phenomenon. It took the internet by storm and made a ton of money. Barbie was in every commercial, clothing brand, TikTok trend, and billboard you could think of. A year later, The Wicked movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo did the same thing. According to BU Today, the movie “…is a cultural moment and nobody wants to be left behind.”

The movie promotes themes of diversity, empowerment, and equality which gravitate to younger audiences and make them feel seen and heard. This may be why The Wicked Movie has gained so much TikTok influence in such a short time, its ability to seek out younger audiences and give them a space they can hold (#HoldingSpace). When asked how this movie would influence Pop culture, Wayne Valley junior,  Christopher Fryer says, “I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone started wearing green and pink, and I know a lot of memes are going to spawn from this.” This is the impact and influence this movie already has on social media in its couple of weeks of being released. 

Additionally, multiple brands have put out products inspired by The Wicked movie. This Movie collaborates with brands like Crocs, H&M, Bloomingdales, Stanley, and Lego, giving it more publicity and extending its longevity in Pop Culture and the public.    

Another big impact this movie has had is on theater culture. Wicked was already a massive musical in the theater community but it became such a big film it drew more attention to theater in film and media. Wayne Valley student, Mia Marquez states, “This movie will affect musicals in film. It has influenced culture by encouraging more writers to incorporate theater in their films and there may be more remakes of popular musicals.” The songs are even playing on streaming and radio services.

Overall,  The Wicked movie has become a cultural phenomenon and will continue to have a lot of influence over trends and TikTok culture. From Defying Gravity memes to Green Stanley cups, this movie has truly taken over Pop culture in 2024.   

For more on the movie, see our article: https://wvsmokesignals.com/6493/popculture/the-new-wicked-adaptation-defying-expectations/