By: Casey Helm, Contributor
I have been a Wicked fan for as long as I can remember. I have seen it around eight times total, whether it be on Broadway or right here in Buffalo. Hearing that there was a thought of a movie adaptation all the way back in 2012 made ten-year-old me ecstatic. Now, after over 10 years, Wicked will finally hit theaters for everyone to watch in movie form on Friday, Nov. 22.
I had the honor to be able to watch the movie two days before the release date and I was utterly blown away. It left me speechless, and that was only part one. The movie ends when intermission would happen if you were to see it as a musical, and leaves audiences with a cliffhanger. I am already looking forward to seeing part two with the expected release date of Nov. 21, 2025.
The movie overall is outstanding – all two hours and 41 minutes of it. It hits everything that happens in the musical, yet brings the novel by Gregory Maguire to life in such a new way. When they first announced the cast, I was skeptical about Ariana Grande playing one of the main characters, Glinda, but she played that role so effortlessly and flawlessly. The way that she was fully able to embrace the role and bring the character to life in a way that the musical does not was amazing to watch. Grande gave Glinda more of a personality, going off the bits and pieces of it that you see in the musical. The other main character, Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, was just as amazing. Erivo comes from a Broadway background and does not have as much street cred as Grande does, but I believe that she will once the world sees this movie. Her vocals throughout the movie are astonishing and she puts her own twist on the songs from the musical. She, too, embraces her role in a way I do not think anyone else could have. Elphaba is a complex character full of quirks, and goes through every emotion you can think of, which Erivo handled flawlessly.
Both leading ladies played their roles well individually, but their chemistry on and off the screen is something that I think makes this movie so special. Throughout the press leading up to the release of the movie, you can really see the bond that Erivo and Grande have made, and it translates to the big screen. In the movie, Glinda and Elphaba’s friendship feels raw and relatable. The way the two were able to captivate these roles and bring out such emotion in these characters goes hand in hand with their relationship off the screen.
I know that movie musicals are not for everyone, but I think that you should at least give this one a chance. There is so much more to the movie than singing. It is full of surprises, emotional rollercoasters and life lessons. I left that movie feeling that it is good to be different, embrace your quirks and always do what you believe is right.
I had very high expectations going into this movie, skeptical that it wouldn’t bring the musical justice, yet here I am, an hour after the movie concluded, and the best way I can describe it is “wow.” I hope that you take the time to see part one of the movie because it truly is a work of art.