“Wicked” the musical made its way back to our screens last month, and this time it left its mark on us, for good. “Wicked” (2024) and “Wicked: For Good” play out as prequels to the classic “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) and delve deep into the friendship of Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda Upland, the Good Witch of the South.
“Wicked: For Good” premiered Nov. 21 and stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. The film was immediately teased after the premiere of “Wicked.” That November, the franchise collaborated with businesses like Dunkin’ Donuts, IHOP and Chilli’s to promote the film. NBC and Peacock also streamed “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” a special performance hosted by the cast in which they showed behind-the-scenes filming, live musical performances and exclusive clips of the second film a week before it officially premiered.
Teasing the second film this way brought anticipation to many fans. Many had questions like, “Will they show Dorothy’s face?” “Will the directors stick to the Broadway storyline?” “Will they apply the same music, color and costume themes to the second film?” And, of course, the ultimate question: “Will the second film surpass the first?” Needless to say, fans’ questions were answered.
Watching “Wicked: For Good” is an emotional cinematic experience in which all thematic elements of acting, music, color and design come together to make you live the fictional land of Oz. Every aspect of the film was delicately put together from the casting, to the Broadway songs, to the creation of the storyline being put onto movie screens. Fans wanted fun colors, nostalgic songs, extravagant costumes, detailed acting — We wanted to step into the story ourselves. There were high expectations for part two the director and cast exceeded. Fans can say both films captured exactly what they hoped for Wicked. There were laughs and tears in the theater to confirm. Notable performances are “Thank Goodness” by Grande, “Wonderful” by Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard), Grande and Erivo, and “For Good” by Grande and Erivo.
Many seemed to connect the film with real-life issues. Erivo’s “No Place Like Home” is part of a scene in which the animals of Oz are forced to flee from their homeland while Elphaba pleads for them to stay and resist the discriminatory laws against them. The song contains lyrics such as “Why do I love this place that’s never loved me?” and “Oz is more than just a place. It’s a promise, an idea.” This song can tie to the immigration laws in the United States today, resulting in brutal deportations and rising fear in immigrant communities. The song’s political connection creates an emotional and powerful tone. It felt like the song could’ve been written yesterday. This song was one out of two adapted for the film (the other being “Girl in the Bubble”) that weren’t in the original musical, and it allowed viewers to feel the actual problem in the story from the silenced perspective.
In the end, “Wicked: For Good” lives up to its name. Delivering a message of friendship, goodness and standing up for what is right and blending powerful themes with outstanding performances, “Wicked” has left its mark on us, for good.
