In October of 2003, the Broadway original musical Wicked took millions of theatre audiences by storm. The story details the tragic backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, who we come to learn is not truly wicked. Her name is Elphaba (originally played by Idina Menzel), and she and Glinda the Good Witch (originally played by Kristen Chenoweth) have a complex yet beautiful relationship stemming from their attendance at Shiz University and experiences all throughout Oz. Recently, in November of 2024, a film adaptation of the first act of the musical came out starring Cynthia Erivo and Arianna Grande, with the second act scheduled to come out in November of this year. It has generated tons of buzz throughout the various press tours, viral TikTok trends, and insane collaborations with other brands, including LEGO, REM Beauty, Stanley, Starbucks, etc., which has attracted all kinds of audiences to the movie, including ones that are not as familiar with musical theatre. This begs the question: Is the movie worth seeing?

First of all, current fans of the musical Wicked will definitely love the movie. While the musical fits the entire plot into two hours, the movie splits it into two separate parts elaborating on certain points the musical may have rushed. Examples include Elphaba and Glinda’s iconic friendship and the suppression of the rights of animals. 

If you are still hesitant on seeing the movie simply because it is a musical, consider listening to the soundtrack prior to viewing the movie.