Yes, Wicked, the Broadway smash hit that has productions around the world and is always touring, all to packed audiences, has finally flown onto the big screen (pun intended). The script, music, lyrics, visuals, choreography, and performances immediately immerse you and sweep you up for a magical ride through Oz that will make you wonder how two hours and 40 minutes can pass so quickly. Wicked (2024) demonstrates that oftentimes, the best way to adapt from one medium to another is not to cut, slice, and chop, but to take what the source material gives you as a gift to use, expand, and deepen.

Director Jon M. Chu had a task in front of him the size of the Wizard of Oz’s head (literal or metaphorical size, you pick). Everyone in the cast and crew had the same task. Wicked the musical is beloved for its characters, story, music, choreography, visuals, costumes, and performances, all of which are comedic, dramatic, immersive, and perhaps most hard-to-define of all…magical.

If you have not seen the musical, beware before watching any trailers. When my mom took me to see the musical for the first time, I knew nothing about it besides that it was a musical about the Wicked Witch of the West. My review will avoid spoilers, so read it, see the movie, and then come back to realize the full context. Trust me on this one.

Now I’m not green…uh, metaphorically speaking. As with anything “popular” (pun intended), some easily dismiss both the musical and the movie with the old “If so many people like it, it must not actually be smart, deep, or good,” argument. If you won’t take a deep and even earnest look at something weird, whether it’s popular or not…someone like me isn’t going to convince you. For the rest of you…come sit by me in the cafeteria, because they’re missing out.

(…Oh, and once we’re done in the cafeteria, meet me at one of those sing-along Wicked screenings starting December 25…)

Clearly, I was totally and completely unbiased going in…

A #BeautifullyTragic witch ready to #DefyGravity! I saw @WICKED_Musical with my mom in Row K. (Usher: “K for ‘Killer’!”) Now, we’re seeing @WickedMovie together. In Row K! Oz amplified my performing, writing, and directing dreams. We’re #unlimited. @jonmchu @realJGoldblum #Wicked pic.twitter.com/LOoNBByjRB

— Jamie Lee (@JackalopeJamie) November 21, 2024

…Ahem. Anyway, as someone who does love the musical, I had just as much excitement as I had high hopes. It wouldn’t have taken much for me to like it…but it would take a lot for me to love it anywhere near as much as I love the musical. And I have to say…

Wicked (2024) defies gravity and all of my expectations.

Nowadays, Wicked the musical (often also with “The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz” attached) is a well-known smash hit. It’s easy to forget that it is, in countless ways, very, very weird. It bends genres and story elements by combining so many of them. It’s very, very dramatic…and very, very comedic. It has stunning and creative visuals that have become synonymous with the show…and a deeply moving and complex story. It has a compelling story…and equally compelling characters driving it along. The music is incredible…as are the lyrics. The characters, story, and music are so well-written…and given uniqueness from each actor who steps into their (for several reasons, definitely not ruby) shoes. Lose any one of these elements, and Wicked falls apart.

Luckily, Chu knew to keep it all…and add to it. I say, “add,” in the truest sense of the word: not just to pad runtime or just to be different from the source material, but truly to add, expand, and deepen what’s already so strong.

When I first saw Wicked on stage, I didn’t yet know that so many people separate these story elements as if they’re completely disparate entities. Wicked shows that these elements don’t have to be separate and, in fact, can be even stronger together (fittingly enough, given the story).

Cynthia Erivo brings both power and thoughtful quiet to Elphaba in both vocals and overall performance, bringing a heart so big, it’s no surprise when it explodes, while making sure Elphaba’s humor is never lost. She explodes…and then pulls back with an eye roll and sarcastic retort. Ariana Grande as Galinda (with a “Ga”) Upland (from the Upper Uplands) shows her effervescent extroversion and self-centeredness that is, fascinatingly, more innocent than it is narcissistic, without forgetting the smart social savvy Galinda excels in. Jonathan Bailey is great as Fiyero, playing the “deeply shallow” prince who grows deeper, making him a distinct and memorable character. Marissa Bode as Nessarose is wonderful and you see why people love Nessa as well as her frustrations about not being seen as her own person, with seeds of what’s to come for her. Ethan Slater brings a nice depth to Boq, especially as his complex relationships develop and start to get thorny.

Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard is the man for whom everything is a show, giving both genuinely fun moments of showmanship…and moments when you realize what’s behind the show. Michelle Yeoh gets time to show us Madame Morrible as a supportive, effective, and quite clever teacher…but with a mystery that only a teacher who’s also a master of the craft they teach can have. Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James are both funny as Pfannee and ShenShen: it’ll be fun to see what they do in Part 2. Peter Dinklage is the wise intellect of seasoned scholar Doctor Dillamond, whose years in the classroom haven’t hardened his heart of passion for causes. Really, every cast member brings a lot to their character, whether they get a full arc in this movie or just enough to interest you in what’s coming next.

Before Cruella (2021), before Maleficent (2014), before Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier (which I highly recommend and was written, performed, and filmed by StarKid, the folks behind the also-Jamie-recommended The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals)…there was Wicked.

If you think about what the original pitch for the musical (based on Gregory Maguire’s novel) must’ve sounded like, it sounds absolutely bonkers. “Let’s make a fantasy musical unofficially based on a decades-old movie everyone knows, but make it about one of the most infamous (and most parodied) villains of all time…and make you sincerely love her.”

It’s fitting, then, that Wicked (2024) sincerely loves its source material. Winnie Holzman, who wrote the book for the musical (for those less familiar with theater, the “book” of a musical is the script), got to write the screenplay for the movie (with Dana Fox). Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the show’s music and lyrics, got to write the music for the movie (with John Powell). As someone who keeps getting told I have an unusually good memory and vividly remembers seeing the musical Wicked (…three times…so far), I heard so much of the best dialogue straight from the show, including the funniest parts, and so much orchestration that put me right back in the theater where I first saw the show. The comedy is all still there. The drama is all still there.

All the foreshadowing of what we know from The Wizard of Oz (1939) and what you only know if you’ve seen the musical is also still there…plus some additional foreshadowing and connections to the 1939 film, both visual and in dialogue, that I really appreciated. Well done, Holzman and Fox, on those additional nods in the script.

Striking visuals from the musical that stun audiences show after show, even those who’ve seen it countless times, and stay with them forever are just as striking, stunning, and memorable onscreen. These visuals synonymous with the show are adapted in ways that those who’ve seen the musical will clearly recognize, but also unique to the film in ways that people who’ve memorized the musical, and people who’ve never seen it at all, will never forget. Major kudos to cinematographer Alice Brooks, production designer Nathan Crowley, and costume designer Paul Tazewell (who also designed the costumes for the new Death Becomes Her musical, which officially opened on Broadway last night and which I highly recommend) for creating a colorful, immersive, and gorgeous Oz and characters that are just as unforgettable onscreen as they are onstage.

So much of the set and effects are practical. While of course there’s CGI, there’s so much that’s clearly actually there that it feels like a real world we’re being welcomed into.

Wicked is downright proud to be a musical. Every note, every solo line snatched by someone who’s not a main character, and every piece of choreography is shown in its full glory onscreen, with orchestration to match. I felt like I do whenever I go to special screenings of musical films like Mary Poppins (1964), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Easter Parade (1948), or similar films. From walking in time with books they slap in time to dancing on spinning circular bookshelves, the blocking and choreography (by Christopher Scott) are impeccable and surround you with relentless energy.

Wicked’s loving embrace of its source material and desire not only to tell the full story (again, fittingly enough, given the story), but also to expand on it is most clearly demonstrated in one specific scene…which I will not spoil. All I’ll say is that it’s a scene decidedly not in the musical that not only adds to the story, characters, and environment but also contains a huge secret that, in hindsight, countless people had to keep under the deepest of wraps and behind the tightest of lips. And keep it they did! Well done to all involved for that alone. The fact that it’s important to the film itself makes it even better.

In case you’re worried my vagueness will make you miss it…you won’t. The visual and auditory setup of the scene makes it very clear that this is an important moment. The theater I was in at the Early Access screening had absolutely no idea it was coming, which was clear to me when we all had a collective “moment” that we kept politely quiet so none of us would miss it…but the gasps were audible.

Wicked (2024) is two hours and 40 minutes. And yet, for this writer, it flew by (pun intended). There’s never a big enough gap between songs that you start to feel it. The film simultaneously keeps a steady pace while also slowing down when needed to focus on specific moments.

Wicked (2024) is Part 1 of two films, with the next coming out on November 21, 2025. According to director Jon M. Chu, this choice is so they wouldn’t have to cut any of what makes the musical complex and great.

Special #Wicked Movie Announcement… ✌🏼🎬🧹🌸💚sent from my OzPhone: pic.twitter.com/4qPpvVD4rR

— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) April 26, 2022

After seeing Wicked, I’m inclined to believe this is true. Luckily, even an okay adaptation would’ve easily made a massive profit, so anyone who just sees green (the paper kind) could’ve seen the justification for two parts. From an artistic standpoint, this comes across as a very genuine decision by those who see green (the Elphaba kind) in order to make the best adaptation possible.

As Part 1, Wicked (2024) has a tricky balancing act to pull off: getting you excited for Part 2 with enough loose ends dangling without making you feel cheated with a complete cliffhanger that makes it feel like you wasted your time with a film that was nothing but build-up, a sudden cutoff that leaves you confused, or a whimper as they save all the good stuff for Part 2. Whether you’ve seen the musical or not, Part 1 does feel like a complete story…with just enough loose ends and character-driven anticipation for what’s next that, even if you haven’t seen the musical, you’ll want to come back for Part 2. In fact, the original “first look” that aired during the 2024 Super Bowl seems to show some footage from Part 2.

As with anything “popular” (pun intended), some easily dismiss both the musical and the movie with the old “If so many people like it, it must not actually be smart, deep, or good,” argument (not to mention the fact that fantasies and musicals are often dismissed, anyway). They’re missing why so many people love it. People will nitpick, and a lot of those nitpicks come down to personal taste, which is valid for those viewers. For this writer, any nitpicks I may have, I’ll only come up with after seeing Wicked a few more times, and even then, they’ll be greatly overshadowed by what objectively is so well done in the film and subjectively what works so well for me personally.

When you see a stage show, whether a musical or a play, there’s an energy that comes off the stage and into the audience, making you feel like you’re part of the show. The best films oftentimes know how to do this despite the fact that everything is on a screen and not live in front of you. Everyone brought their absolute best to Wicked, which means you can feel the passion, the joy, the energy…and the wind in your face as you not only watch Elphaba Thropp fly, but fly with her.

Alongside all the elements I mentioned before that, when brought together with passion and skill, make Wicked wonderful (pun intended…although that’s more for Part 2), I personally think what also makes Wicked resonate deeply with so many is because of how different every single character is from all of the others. Have you walked into a room and felt the energy shift as people throw up their walls and throw out “that look”? Have you walked into a room and felt the energy shift toward you because everyone in the room loves you and lets you be you while they cheer you on? While I love many songs in Wicked, a personal favorite has always been “The Wizard and I”…and a special shout-out to everyone who made the beautiful visual moment with the multi-colored mobile happen, adding so much to such an important part (that I’ve always loved) of the song (that I’ve always loved). I often joke that certain movies should give out free tissues with tickets. Wicked moved me to so many tears, I was wishing some green or pink Wicked tissues had come with my tickets. I could’ve drenched that entire IMAX screen. (I was so lucky to be able to see, hear, and experience Wicked in IMAX.)

Let’s make more musical movies. Let’s make more musicals. Let’s make more weird stuff. And let’s be proud of it. Because when we look up from the ground and allow ourselves to fly into a new world, we’re unlimited.