‘Wicked’ (2024) Review: Broadway Gets the Superhero Treatment

‘Wicked’ (2024)

For nearly a century, the magical Land of Oz has captured the imaginations of audiences worldwide, but it is Wicked, the Broadway musical, that has solidified the Wicked Extended Universe in the minds of nearly 65 million people since its 2003 debut.

With franchises and IPs and blockbusters—oh my!—dominating Hollywood, it was only a matter of time before producers set their sights on adapting the stage show into a major motion picture.

After nearly two decades in development hell, Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, Crazy Rich Asians) finally brought Wicked to the big screen, focusing on themes of female friendship, self-empowerment, and discrimination, with powerhouse vocalists Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande leading the charge as Elphaba and Galinda.

Covering the first act of the Broadway production, Wicked Part One faithfully translates the original material to film—but that faithfulness comes at a cost.

When Wicked premiered on Broadway, critics noted its overstuffed narrative—bloated with plot points, character arcs, musical numbers, and The Wizard of Oz Easter eggs—as a weighty flaw.

Splitting the story into two films could have provided the breathing room the narrative needed, but much of that potential feels squandered.

Chu doesn’t have the directing chops of Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Sound of Music) to craft magic through a well-placed close-up or smart staging that allows actors to showcase their range. Wicked could have been an instant front-runner for the Best Picture race in the hands of a director with a stronger grasp of cinematic language and a genuine love for musicals.

Unfortunately, Chu’s approach is akin to Kevin Feige's glossy Marvel Cinematic Universe treatments, and gives Wicked a superficial polish that, in the words of Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), is “deeply shallow.” His direction leans heavily on visual spectacle over substance, offering a superhero-like sheen that misses the heart of Oz’s magic.

Still, Chu knows how to cater to fans.

Carefully placed callbacks and cameos from the stage production undoubtedly delight fans of the source material. However, these joyful moments quickly give way to the sense that Chu and the screenwriters pull a rabbit out of a hat to distract from the film's overall lack of confidence.

Part of this is because of how faithful the adaption is. Rather than spending the time to flesh out the challenging themes introduced in the musical, Wicked plays it safe by delivering a palatable message much the same way Barbie tackles feminism—digestible enough for commercial success, but lacking depth.

At 2 hours and 40 minutes, the film struggles to justify its runtime. The pacing drags with its numerous expressionless close-ups and unnecessary slow-motion sequences. Yet the performances elevate the material enough to anchor the audience in the fantasy of Oz.

Erivo, in her first major movie role, steps onto the scene with ease, letting her expressions chart her character development from a naive and self-doubting outcast to the iconic Wicked Witch of the West. Her voice is rich and powerful and sends shivers down your spine as she translates her soul into song with a resonance that paralyzes—a quality often only experienced live.

This is best showcased in “The Wizard and I,” where Chu briefly recaptures the magic of classic musicals, blending cinematic fantasy with heartfelt storytelling that lets Erivo's performance cement itself as one to remember in movie musical history.

Grande brings undeniable star power as Galinda, shining brightest in her character’s manic, attention-seeking moments. While her emotional journey feels less cohesive, her vocal chemistry with Erivo is undeniable. Together, they breathe new life into composer Stephen Schwartz’s score, balancing timeless theatricality with contemporary pop sensibilities.

Bailey’s Fiyero reimagines the character as a tragic prince charming, and his performance in “Dancing Through Life” is a highlight that shows how his character developed from the party boy to the brave-hearted love interest to both Elphaba and Galinda. The number’s inventive choreography transforms a library into a whimsical funhouse, showcasing Bailey’s charm and physicality.

‘Wicked’ (2024)

Suspension of disbelief isn’t hard in whimsical musicals like Wicked, yet Chu never fully transports us to his version of Oz. There’s a lack of confidence that oozes through the uneven pacing and poor blocking. Whether this is a result of the 20 years of development hell or the challenges of making a movie musical in a post-Cats Hollywood, audiences may still champion the two-and-a-half-hour stage production over what will likely become a four-hour film adaptation.

Wicked Part One struggles to distance itself from its source material, putting into question whether or not the preservation of the stage production was the ultimate goal of Wicked. While there are moments of brilliance from the stars and the craft team, the movie isn't able to capture the magic of Oz.

Could the second installment redeem the story?

It is unclear for now. But fans might find themselves clicking their heels and wishing for the Broadway version over Chu's vision.

Grade: B