Elphaba. Glinda. These two famous character names reign “guilt-free” in the ears of many musical theatre fans across the world thanks to the new release of the film, Wicked. Wicked has been featured on the Broadway stage as a renounced theatre production, but never put into the format where you can go to the local cinema to watch. Dropped on November 22, 2024, the movie has been broadcasted across platforms like TikTok , Facebook, Instagram, and commercial advertisements for its promotion.
A major reason for the movie’s renowned success is due to the popular singer and actress, Ariana Grande, who is playing Glinda in the movie. Grande has recently taken a step into the musical theatre realm and will be taking a break from her singing pop career to focus her time more into Broadway performance skills. Fans were upset by this at first, but surely after viewing Wicked, fans will not be disappointed for her revisitation to her acting side. The movie itself was an all-around genius idea from the choice of casting such a well-known star, as well as the choreography. The dance numbers were originally choreographed by Wayne Cilento on the Broadway stage, but transitioned to the hands of Christopher Scott for the 2024 adaptation.
The choreography within the film was absolutely flawless. Once again, a popular film on the cinema screen has taken over trends on TikTok. Two popular trends from the film include Glinda’s dance break with her stack of books from the song “What is This Feeling?”, and the lip-syncing of “Defying Gravity.” Not only did the film win over fans, but it took over my FYP since the movie’s release. The clever choreography and casting of the film is truly what managed to make the film into such a success, which is why you should see this film in theatres while it’s still out.
For classic fans of the 2003 movie or the 1995 book by Gregory McGuire which inspired the stage production, something in the movie may seem strange when it runs for three hours throughout what appears to be the first act. This is because the movie has been split into two film entities, the first of which is currently in theaters and the second of which is slated to be released next year. This film is an excellent opportunity to expand the genre of both musical theatre and Broadway, which despite having a passionate fanbase has shrunk in recent years due to the accessibility of stage productions and musical education in K12 schools.