Wicked Wows New Audiences

As a fan of the musical, and a reader of the book, I was excited with what I saw in Wicked! More surprising to me was my husband and other husbands, and boyfriends coming out gushing about the movie. My husband was beset upon by a drunken fan while waiting for me to get out of the restroom after the movie who asked him what his favorite part was. He responded with, “I really liked the play (Wizomania) that they showed in Oz! I could tell something was being done there cause my wife gasped, but I liked it in its own right as a first-time viewer. Specifically, that this was a key moment where I started to put together that things were not how they appeared and I felt a twist or a big reveal coming. And then we met the Wizard and I saw/remembered who was playing him and it all clicked for me. How devious the whole thing was! The second thing I really liked was Ariana Grande. I had no idea the woman could act! Specifically, during that part after the Oz Dust Ballroom (“Popular”), if I found out she actually hated making this movie I would insist she be given an Oscar because all I felt coming off her in that scene was pure joy.” While I didn’t interview other husbands or boyfriends, I could see them talking excitedly all around me. Jon M. Chu has really allowed a new audience to enjoy this story in a way I didn’t even hope was possible!

Jon M. Chu, best known for bringing us Crazy Rich Asians¹ (until now!), gave many interviews leading up to the premier of this movie. Things that he wanted to make sure to bring to the movie was accessibility and visibility for Nessarose’s (Marissa Bode) character², a new talk about color through the color green³, more on relationships both between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and her family and Elphaba and Galinda (Glinda) (Ariana Grande), and more of the history and culture that was evident in the books and mostly cut from the play out of necessity. Part of this is a greater focus on the Animal Rights movement that is so prominent in the book and barely mentioned as anything other than a tool for why Elphaba turns against those who have tried to raise her up. More circles and how everything in Oz is connected, and more on waterways. He also wanted to honor everything that had come before which is seen most prevalently during the number, “One Short Day”⁴. Jon M. Chu discussed much of this in his interview with Deadline⁵,

“During the pandemic lockdown, Chu huddled with Wicked stage and film producer Marc Platt, screenwriter Dana Fox and the original Wicked music and lyrics legend Stephen Schwartz and musical stage scribe Winnie Holzman. Together, “they walked me through every script they’ve ever made for this movie and the original show and every line why it was written that way, what scenes were cut out, why the lyrics are the way they are, what alternate lyrics that were,” he said. “I got this theater kid dream of being able to understand.”

It was an awakening for Chu to delve into the source material’s mythology as there were story elements the stage show could get away with not explaining. However, the filmmaker knew he owed moviegoers a bigger explanation, as in, “What does it mean to defy gravity?” Does Elphaba power the broomstick or does it pull her?”

It would be remiss to dismiss the fact that racism is prevalent in this film. Not only through the Animal Rights movement but also through the fact that Elphaba is green. Jon M. Chu said in an interview with NPR⁶,

America has used black people, and Asians as a focus for hatred in tumultuous times. Instead of banding together and huddling together like the sonnet “The New Colossus” by American poet Emma Lazarus 1883⁷, these times have divided instead of united. Similar to those times we are facing a new time where immigrants are being looked upon with suspicion. We seem to forget that most of us in America are immigrants ourselves. Or, to paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.⁸, that people are meant to be judged by the content of their character and not outward appearances.

It was important to Jon M. Chu to bring greater focus on relationships in the film then they got to bring to the stage. He makes sure some scenes from the book are brought in on Elphaba and Nessarose’s childhood, and more on their father (Governor Thropp played by Andy Nyman) and how his reactions to everything make both girls who they are. He also wanted more time to elapse between “What is This Feeling?” and “Popular” so that it didn’t feel so much like a switch being thrown. He discusses how he was able to extend “Dancing Through Life”⁹ and the experience at the Oz Dust Ballroom in his interview with Indie Wire. Being able to expand these scenes and creating a give a damn for the characters that isn’t possible in the play. The beauty that I never saw conveyed in the Oz Dust Ballroom on the stage that is visible through the film is amazing. If he wanted me to give a damn about a shallow, popular, grasping woman like Galinda is through this moment of realization he did it! I have much greater respect for the duo and their friendship then I ever did before!

May this movie bring as much love and excitement to others as it has brought to my family. My daughter is desperate to watch it. It was a tough decision not to bring her to a theatre showing with us but the run time of the movie is truly preventative to having someone who is only age 4 in the theatre. She would definitely miss something and be sad, so we have a family movie night planned as soon as it is available to purchase. My husband and I even had a discussion about the themes in the play and book that might be too much for her. Ultimately, we decided that if she wanted to see it only a good foundation and discussions could result. This is a big 5 stars from me and my husband.

1. Chu, Jon M., director. Crazy Rich Asians. Warner Brothers, 2018. ↩︎
2. Garner, Glenn. “‘wicked’ Director Jon M. Chu Talks Creating ‘Accessibility in Oz’ for Disabled Character.” Deadline, Deadline, 21 Sept. 2024, deadline.com/2024/09/wicked-director-jon-m-chu-creating-accessibility-oz-disabled-character-1236096435/. ↩︎
3. Chang, Ailsa. “With ‘Wicked,’ Director Jon M. Chu Writes His Own Story.” NPR, NPR, 12 Nov. 2024, www.npr.org/transcripts/1212541645#:~:text=With%20%22Wicked%2C%22%20director%20Jon,Consider%20This%20from%20NPR%20:%20NPR&text=Trump’s%20Terms-,With%20%22Wicked%2C%22%20director%20Jon%20M.%20Chu%20writes%20his,at%[email protected] ↩︎
4. Peitzman, Louis. “Did You Catch All Four Cameos in the Wicked Movie?” Vulture, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024, www.vulture.com/article/wicked-kristin-chenoweth-and-idina-menzels-cameos-explained.html. ↩︎
5. D’Alessandro, Anthony. “Musicals Aren’t Dead, Even in Two Parts: Jon M. Chu’s ‘Obvious’ Decision Has ‘wicked’ Opening to $114m, a Record for Broadway-to-Screen Pic – Crew Call Podcast.” Deadline, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024, deadline.com/2024/11/wicked-jon-m-chu-interview-1236185586/. ↩︎
6. Chang, Ailsa. “With ‘Wicked,’ Director Jon M. Chu Writes His Own Story.” NPR, NPR, 12 Nov. 2024, www.npr.org/transcripts/1212541645#:~:text=With%20%22Wicked%2C%22%20director%20Jon,Consider%20This%20from%20NPR%20:%20NPR&text=Trump’s%20Terms-,With%20%22Wicked%2C%22%20director%20Jon%20M.%20Chu%20writes%20his,at%[email protected]. ↩︎
7. Lazarus, Emma. “The New Colossus.” Statue of Liberty. 1883. New York, New York. ↩︎
8. King, Martin Luther. “I Have a Dream.” March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Aug. 28, 1963, Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC. ↩︎
9. Strecker, Erin. “Jon M. Chu’s Key to Cracking ‘Wicked’? Starting at the End.” IndieWire, IndieWire, 22 Nov. 2024, www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/jon-m-chu-wicked-interview-casting-ariana-grande-1235068103/. ↩︎