On November 22, 2024, a major stride in the world of musicals was made: Wicked, a Broadway classic, finally made it from the Gershwin Theatre to the silver screen. This stage-to-screen adaptation, however, did not exist without controversy and apprehension. Theatre lovers have witnessed the release of countless underwhelming excuses for entertainment in the form of screen musicals; skeptics of the film adaptation of Wicked were not worrying without reason. The most recent disappointment was Dear Evan Hansen, a smash on Broadway, yet upon the release of its adaptation, received a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is not the first example of such a phenomenon, Mamma Mia clocks in a 55%, and the infamous Cats received 19%. Because film and theatre are different art forms, things can often get lost in translation.
Movies are significantly more realistic than theatre in most cases. Where film is subtle and uses camera techniques and special effects to convey its message, theatre is larger than life and even the most realistic shows become spectacles. The most popular movie musicals are often written for the silver screen, films in this realm include the whimsical Mary Poppins and the (almost) Oscar winning La La Land. Film and theatre are separate forms of art, therefore, it is imperative the intricacies of each are understood. Acting and technique are vastly different, and screen adaptations commonly fail to acknowledge and adjust the approach to achieve the best possible result.
Wicked cemented itself as a Broadway classic over the span of two decades, and fans everywhere are happy to announce the film does the stage show justice. With all the excitement surrounding the film, only one question remains: why does Wicked work?
The Men and women behind the curtain
Throughout the production of Wicked, there was lots of support, which helped maintain the quality and magic of Oz. The cast and crew of Wicked did not exactly follow the yellow brick road; rather than enlisting Hollywood stars, they appointed Broadway icons. Movie musicals are inherently at risk for accusations of being cash grabs, but onlookers can see without a doubt that Wicked was a product of the dedication of those working on the film. The team on this movie was well suited for the task, not names that would catch the eyes of clueless fans.
Firstly, Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the original Broadway score returned to Oz in order to make the movie Wicked happen. Through his hard work and advising, Wicked retained the power and magnificence it had in 2003. Schwartz transformed Gregory Maguire’s world from something dark and morbid into a fantastical, family friendly spectacle that still manages to pull back the curtain on power structures. Through Schwartz’s composition, and Maguire’s vision, the Wicked we all know and love was born.
Another tool Wicked had in the chest was director John M. Chu. A silent sniper, Chu has contributed much to Hollywood, though his name, until recently, was not heard often. While he is most known for Crazy Rich Asians, he has a much more alluring qualification; Wicked was not the first musical adaptation Chu directed, he is also responsible for 2021’s In the Heights. Though its broadway run ended in 2011, In the Heights received traction after the success of Hamilton, as both shows were the brainchild of Lin Manuel Miranda. After Hamilton’s professionally shot performance dropped on Disney+, Lin Manuel Miranda’s fans wanted more, and that came in the form of a film version of In the Heights, that way all the newfound fans were still able to experience it. Miraculously, the movie was immune to the pandemic of poorly done musical movies, and received a whopping 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. Through this feat, 2024’s Wicked was safe in Chu’s hands.
The third and final secret weapon Wicked employed was hidden in plain sight. Stephen Schwartz personally accredited one of the films leading ladies, Ariana Grande-Butera, as an Oz aficionado. Reservations about a popstar playing an intensive, operatic role were not scarce. What many people neglected to acknowledge is that this film was Ariana Grande’s return to musicals, not her debut; her career started with an original role in 13 at only 15 years old. 13: The Musical is also a recent victim of the stage to screen pandemic, the Netflix film adaption received a 58% on Rotten Tomatoes. This is an unfortunate phenomenon, especially because it was a lesser know musical to begin with. A unique element of 13 is that it is the only show in Broadway history to feature an exclusively teenage cast and band. Though it had been years since Ariana Grande took the stage, in the movie, it truly felt like musicals were her home.
Throughout her entire career, Ariana Grande expressed a deep love for Wicked, which she first saw when she was 10, and her dream to eventually play Glinda. For her dedicated fans, her ability to play the role was never doubted. However, others had concerns.
A timeless Experience
Wicked is a product of creative evolution: from a novel, to a movie, back to a novel, to a stage production, back to a movie, the narratives of Oz are ever changing and staples of American fantasy. In fact, Ariana Grande’s grandmother, affectionately known as Nonna, was alive for the initial release of The Wizard of Oz and lived long enough to see her own grandchild play her very own version of Glinda the Good Witch. Through generations, we have sat to hear the tales of Oz, from the perspectives of both the light and dark sides of the fictional realm that somehow manages to mirror our own.
A classic is defined as a work that’s popularity and significance last for decades, or even centuries. The Wizard of Oz, took that crown a long time ago. With John M. Chu’s feat of mastering Wicked in a new medium, it’s popularity will only continue to grow, especially given that eager fans have to wait an entire year to see how he concludes the tale. Due to the hard work of the cast and crew, Wicked, the film, is without a doubt a classic that will be enjoyed for years to come.