Winter always brings us some amazing films given that Thanksgiving and Christmas Day are some of the biggest days for committed moviegoers. I’d put myself under that category, as I’ve already been to AMC twice in one week. However, both times were a (not so) quick trip to the Emerald City. “Wicked” is just that good. If you’re interested in watching but don’t know how to follow, here’s some context—but first, some facts about the story’s origin.
how the book came to be
Wicked was originally a novel by Gregory Maguire published in 1995—Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Since the movie’s release, I’ve gathered that many people had no idea it was first a book. So, yes: the musical is based on the book, and the movie is based on the musical, and therefore based on the book. Give Maguire his flowers (or poppies)!
Maguire had decided to step away from writing children’s books, and he wanted to write about something very different—a question we don’t have an answer for: “What causes evil?” Maguire knew he needed something engaging to hold attention, so he thought back to a film that fascinated him: The Wizard of Oz. He was a huge fan, rewatching whenever it aired. He was specifically invested in The Wicked Witch (Margaret Hamilton) and The Good Witch (Billie Burke)’s relationship. He tells BBC that when watching the acclaimed 1939 film, he thought the two had to know one another or at least crossed paths. He says the idea he came up with of them going to school together made him laugh out loud. It obviously did a little more than that, as he wrote an entire book about it!
so, what is it about?
The book is, as you can guess by now, a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, revolving around the Wicked Witch, Elphaba. It gives context as to why she turned evil—and then makes us question, was she ever really evil? It’s so easy to look at someone and their mistakes, agree when others label them something, and move on. Instead of this, Wicked makes us look with Elphaba—her childhood, her parents and sister, her interests, and her fears. We’re right alongside her on a journey that can only be described as otherworldly. Maguire’s writing is so powerful that we feel empathy for a character we’ve been trained to hate, and we root for her despite knowing where her path (or yellow brick road) leads her. It takes someone extremely wise to undo a solidified opinion the general public shares, especially when it’s a character many people have hated and feared since childhood. Other than that, the book answers questions that many never even thought to ask, such as the origins of The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, The Wicked Witch of the East, and The Cowardly Lion. But with that said…
differences
The movie is not identical to the book. In fact, some parts from the book are completely scrapped. The movie is an adaptation of the musical, not the book, and the musical muted the more dysfunctional aspects of the novel. A main example of this is Elphaba’s nature and moral compass: in the book, she’s harder to root for. In the movie, you wanna sit up and scream at everyone who doesn’t side with her. TL;DR: I’d rate the book R and the movie PG.
what should i keep in mind?
The most critical thing that everybody heading to Oz needs to note is that Wicked has been split into two parts. The version that is out right now is Part One. It ends with (minor spoiler) Elphaba singing Defying Gravity, which is where Act One closes out in the musical. Part Two will be Act Two of the musical, where every loose thread is tied up. It’s widely assumed Part Two is coming out on Thanksgiving of 2025. BUT if a year-long intermission is too much time for you to refill your popcorn bucket and cry a bit, you can always find out the ending through the book or the musical! It gets very interesting. Maybe I’ll write a prequel to the prequel.