The book is SO much darker than the play. I totally understand why the play cuts a lot of that out, but I am glad John Chu and company decided to add some of that adult aspect back into the story. Helps the movie seem like more than just a live action Disney princess movie.
@@irinapostelnicu203 Definitely give it a try! It doesn’t really have anything in common with the musical aside from the characters (and even then, the characters are generally very different compared to the musical)! Like I say though, it can get _very_ violent. I personally think it’s much better than the musical. There are also several other books on the series - it’s on ongoing saga. “Wicked” is just the first book.
What is it with you losers praising books but immediately dismissing any show or movie about the same. If wicked was a generic high school musical as you said it was, it wouldnt have been so popular and loved. @@arc7375
Cynthia Erivo is not the first Black Woman to play Elphaba. Alexia Khadime is the current Elphaba in the West End. She first played the role back in 2008. Brandi Chavonne Massey, Lilli Cooper (Sandy in Spongebob the Musical), Emmy Raver-Lampman (Allison in Umbrella Academy) & Saycon Sengbloh have all played Elphaba in Wicked on Stage.
@@PigsInYourYard Lol she did state that Alexia played Elphaba first. “Alexia Khadime is the current Elphaba in the West End. She played the role FIRST in 2008” Did y’all miss that part?
There’s non theatre people out here so the actual distinction between a Full time lead and a standby/understudy would help. And really weird to not acknowledge Saycon as the first ever to play it, regardless of full time. Give her flowers
havent seen this film yet, but im glad shes getting such rave reviews. shes great on snl too. she shines in comedy & im excited to see her a bit of her dramatic side too
YES! I point this out every time people say they can’t picture her doing well. She killed it vocally and acting wise on Victorious. No surprised she did amazing (I’ve seen the movie).
One of the first videos I watched from your channel was about universal potentially doing a film adaptation of wicked. 11 years later I’m finally watching you review it😂❤
Thanks for the clarification, but Grace's point still stands: the actors from the little people community could have taken those roles and earned money if Peter Dinklage hadn't opened his mouth 🤷♀
@@mjracle7421 No it does not, there was still little people in "one short " at the Emerald city. Both the broadway show and the book make it clear that Munchkins are not all short at all. Peter literally wants little people to get more jobs that are not always regulated to Christmas elves and fairy tale creatures.
Wow metalhead guy checking reviews before taking my musical theater loving wife to it. She's concerned about the part 1 thing and after a decade I mostly just remember the end of the play. But you mentioned For Good and I teared up. Damn. Definitely looking forward to part 2 but I'm glad to hear part 1 holds up, that doesn't always happen imo.
The Broadway show was a purposeful commentary on the Bush/Cheney landscape in America at that time. The joke about "regime change" was easier to understand with the post 9/11 and War on Terror audience.
All the political stuff comes from the book, the musical is not as political, focusing more on elphaba’s relationships to glinda and fiyero. Apparently for the movie they added more things from the book
Not entirely true though, as the Broadway show still is deeply political, it just builds more into the politics in act ii and is very much a political story of its time (with direct references to politics of 2003)
Early shows made references to current politics (Bush administration) as jokes to coincide the political themes of the musical. I think they still do it depending on current political situations. The book was also political and the original Oz books as well but was in disguise as metaphors.
In the original wicked politics were very much involved. Glinda was portrayed as a political figure of the right(more so in the second act) while elphaba was portrayed as a radical rebel feminist who stands up for what she believes is right and is shunned by society for it.
MARGARET HAMILTON was the original "Wicked Witch" in the Wizard of Oz 1939 film. She was a wonderful woman in real life and an advocate for animals and Judy Garland, and she also endured a toxic environment in making the film with the upmost professionalism.
Wicked has ALWAYS been a political piece. Those lines have stayed the same since its' premiere in 2003, it just happens to be as relevant as ever now in 2024. Thanks for your review, Grace! Can't wait for your spoiler video!
Grace, have to pull you up - Cynthia isn't the first black actress to play Elphaba: Saycon Sengbloh, Alexia Khadime (currently Elphaba in London) and Jeannette Bayardelle each need their flowers for their work in the role!
I saw it last night. I love the Broadway musical, but was very skeptical for so many reasons for the film. But wow...this film had me in tears multiple times and I am not usually a crier during films. So many wonderful moments. The moment it ended I was ready to watch it again. EDIT: Also, the musical doesn't feature any of the diversity and representation that was present in the film. Broadway (especially in 2003 when the show came out) is still a very conservative environment. Historically, the role of Nessarose has not been played by an actress with a disability, and there's only been 2 black women to ever lead the show full time. The theme of friendship is the core of the show, and the film definitely punched up a lot of the themes of equality.
Nessarose specifically hasn’t been played by an actress with a disability due to the physicality of the role in Act 2 (something I won’t spoil for the second movie of course!)
In the book Munchkins are generally shorter than average height & prejudiced against, contrast Elphaba's height, symbolizing societal bias based on appearance.
I thought that it was a mixture of average sized people and shorter people. For example, isn’t elephaba’s father (Frex, not her biological father) supposed to be quite tall as well.
@jamiegdubois yes, there are the typical Munchkins of Munchkindland, but there are also "normal" sized Munchkinlanders, like the Thropp family which governs Munchkinland, and Frex's family.
ironically, when you say that Hollywood struggles to appeal to women with female-led superhero projects, the ones who *did* appeal to women and even men, are the ones led by witches. because wandavision made a huge splash and was about a woman accepting her grief (plus that she's a witch). and agatha all along seems to also have been really popular among women and queer people. and if Wicked *is* as superhero-esque as you say and it does well with female audiences, it would be another witchy project that connects well with it's non-male audiences
I've seen the show every single year in NYC for my birthday since I was 25. Everyone always cries during For Good and Defying Gravity and no matter how many times I see it, it still resonates so much with me. I'm glad you got to experience the magic Grace!
For me Galinda reminds me of masking (perfectionism, social pleasing, emphasis on materialism and external appearance), building up to the point that she drifts so far from her core, even actively suppresses it because of cognitive dissonance, that she internalises her superficial 'front' and gets cornered by her opportunistic path. It goes so far that it's bordering on covert narcissism that she exaggerates to the outside but we see that she actually has a heart and cares but feels like she cannot show it to others & herself. Elphaba starts with masking as well but in an opposite way: to protect herself she hardens, suppresses her feelings and drive to the point that it appears as though she doesn't care what people think of her and that she doesn't need anybody and that opening up makes you vulnerable. She's unmasking slowly and but due to events retreats again but in a more conscious, empowered, authentic way at least at first. That choice gives her a lot but costs a lot as well. It along with circumstances corners her as well, where she feels like she has no choice then to follow the path/act through but now also is aware of the disconnect with her true self + a kind of mourning of what she could have been when she had more favorable circumstances, validating support, experiences and upbringing where she got a brief taste of at Shiz eventually. That taste makes it even harder to turn away from ❤ She has in common with Galinda that she deep down does care deeply, also feels like she cannot show it but covers up with a different, antisocial mask.🎉 Deep down they are much more alike than meets the eye, perhaps they even don't realize it themselves. That + their opposite coping is both the reason why they connect and cannot stand each other simultaneously.
It's interesting how the word "messaging" is being used mostly for stories with themes of inclusion and progressive values, but actually, ALL storytelling involves "messaging" in the form of THEMES, which are intrinsic to ANY story. Conservative-aimed media is absolutely heavyhanded with blunt messaging as well. But it's never painted as "messaging"... Hmm!
@@Hal-x7l Correct, they were reimagined in the book and musical just to be people from Munchkin Land but people unfamiliar with those are going to wonder why they aren't Little people actors.
@@Hal-x7lNot quite true. Munchkinland very much is inhabited by short stature people, but there are also "normal" sized Munchkinlanders as well. Boq, for instance, is one of the short statured Munchkinlanders in the books
There is ONE Black woman who has played Elphaba full-time -- her name is Alexis Khadime, and she played the role on the West End from 2008-2010, then came back to the show in 2023 (when I saw her -- amazing talent). Shes still there today, and shes the only Black woman to have played her full time. Just a few years ago, Broadway welcomed its first Black Galinda as well! The musical theatre industry is brutal for casting diversely in these long running shows, so I hope the casting teams across the globe take Cynthia's turn as inspiration for looking beyond white women who they're going to paint green eight times a week.
Wonderful review! As a lifelong Wicked fan, I'm so happy you were able to enjoy the movie. The messaging is as strong in the musical, with only a few lines in the movie added for extra impact (for example "I don't see color"). Cynthia being the first black Elphaba definitely heightened and improved many of the themes already in the story. So happy for Cynthia, and Ariana too! Performances for the ages
I hate being the "uhm, actually" guy but... uhm, actually Cynthia is NOT the first black actress to portray Elphaba. Alexia Khadime is the current Elphaba in the West End production - she was indeed the first black actress to play the role full time. Alexia originally played the role June - November 2008 and May 2009 - March 2010. FUN FACT: the current West End Glinda, Lucy St. Louis, is also black, so the West End has the first ever (and only, so far) all-black pairing of Elphaba and Glinda actresses.
@@JoseBraghiroli there is also Ryan Reid playing Fiyero who is a black actor. so its also the first time he 3 leads are people of colour and they are all incredible
I’d say the movie goes deeper with the fascism/dictatorship theme and revising/erasing history theme than the musical. It’s in the show, but the movie fleshes it out much greater. Honestly, it was slightly chilling to see the present day parallels within the film.
Nice shout out for Rogue. Great to see considering how badly the comics actually treated her. She is only really getting built up and dusted off with Gail Simone's Uncanny Xmen. Even her once perfect adoption origins were turned upside down and made cynical to validate a male character at her expense I greatly argue. The Savage Lands reboot being the solo Rogue fans get is such an insult. Nobody needs a repeat of that degradation and the fans are protesting and fighting it. But Marvel comics and the nochalant editors just let writers do what they want and really ignore the fans to their detriment. So that's a loss for Rogue who deserves to be uplifted like Storm and Jean but still faces the wrath of biased male writers.
The book is incredibly dark and political (I mean, it is from the "villain" POV so it was the OG Joker in that sense). I heard the musical was lighter in some aspects but still retained the core messaging so this is not surprising at all.
The book was VERY political and the themes of Wicked have always had some discussion of race so hearing it speaking on Feminism doesn’t sulfide me, but I hope it hasn’t moved from that race discussion. As a black theater kid the casting of Cynthia is important and if we can remember the discourse of the little mermaid (Funny how no one’s dragging Cynthia’s casting like they did Halle Bailey? Would it be the same if Cynthia had been cast as Glinda?). I’m excited for the film and I hope it’s done right, it’s always been for the outcasts and I think Wicked is at its best when it leans into that.
The Halle Bailey casting was dragged because the Little Mermaid is a very visible, popular and distinctively white, red-headed character that had been established in other media and at the theme parks for decades. The added layer of annoyance was the trend of casting African-Americans in roles for white, red-headed characters.
5:07 This gave me chills. To reclaim the label “witch” which has been used to silence, vilify, and even murder innocent women is truly a beautiful thing. I’m sure the hundreds of thousands of innocent women who were killed for falsely accused of witchcraft would be so proud. So many of them were persecuted just because they stood out or because they were different.
@@VesnaLukic-h8w yes, but the Wizard of Oz is one of the most iconic American films and Wicked makes a lot of social commentary on Western social issues so I think it fits.
I’m more inclined to see it now. Reading that it is a blend of the book and musical. Having read the book and seen the broadway musical. I enjoyed the musical. But the book is just such an interesting world that needed to be fleshed out. Very encouraging.
The messaging has always been there - from the book to the stage show and as a result the movie. The movie couldn’t be faithful to the source material if it didn’t include the messaging- particularly the political aspects 😊
Ariana Grande received criticism ever since she started dating the guy who plays Boq after his wife just gave birth to their first child. His wife was left with a newborn baby to raise alone while he pranced around with Ariana. Not a good look.
Oh boy, it part one is super message heavy, just you wait. Act 2 focuses heavily on the media and propaganda and how they paint people as villains. Mob mentality, etc.
If you thought it was too political in part one (it’s always been there and that’s part of the fabric of the story) you’ll have complaints for part two.
I just watched the movie and I can’t believe I actually cried tears during Defying Gravity. As one of my favorite Broadway songs, I remember watching the play in New York and being utterly amazed. Ariana absolutely surprised me and Cynthia…well, all is forgiven. I can’t deny her great talents.
Black women are going to relate to the wicked witch of the West? Why? Being judged by your looks or the color of your skin seems like one of the last things they would want. This seems like it might have been better as a Baz Luhrmann style musical.
Wonderful review Grace! Yes, the original Wicked musical is very message heavy, but that’s what a lot of diehard fans love about it. Sugar does indeed help the medicine go down.
There have been black understudies and standbys, but there has only been one black woman (Alexia Khadime) to lead a production of Wicked. That was 15 years ago on the West End. We’ve had more women of color play Glinda than we have had as Elphaba!
Alexia Khadime is currently leading the West End company in the UK but has been the only full-time Elphaba in the history of this show. The others have only been understudies/standbys unfortunately.
Same, the last trailer was the only decent trailer but that’s exactly why the hype was so weak all year until the last couple of weeks when they went really hard on the marketing.
I was not going to see the movie because of Ariana and Cynthia but I decided to give it a go. I sat in the theater watching and judging. I waited for the moment that was gonna pull me into the movie -and then it happened! It was saw raw, emotional, and powerful.
I will say, while your points about Peter Dinklage and the munchkins is something that I do agree with.. Gregory Maguire establishes in the book that munchkins actually vary in size - and that it’s actually a misconception in Oz that all munchkins are short. Having said that though, I would’ve loved to see little people cast as munchkins as well.
I agree but maybe there are some that play as munchkins in the movie that we didn’t see, I know for sure that there are little people playing as citizens of the emerald city, you can see it in one of the featurette they released
Wicked is a Broadway show, but the rest of the world isn't as familiar with it. My friends don't even know that the movie is a musical. I think it won't do as well outside of the USA because other countries aren't as familiar with the show, don't generally like musicals, and don't have the same nostalgia factor
Whether the musical is political or not the messages are not forced. There were great female characters without being forced. This is what Hollywood need to do in future… make very faithful adaptations that put story and entertainment first and messages second.
Part 2 is the bad effects of the choices to become Wicked as they want to describe her and owning it. So, it won't be as sunny and hopeful as part 1, but it's a reckoning on the choices we make in life and how it affects our lives. She keeps trying to use her powers to help, but they basically turn into corrupt a wish. The song No Good Deed basically says no matter how hard she tries to do good, something bad happens so no good deed will she ever do again, and then Dorothy comes along with her troupe to do their thing from the Wizard of Oz.
Hard disagree. "Thank Goodness" is haunting and "No Good Deed" and "As Long as You're Mine" both slap. The the plot just relies harder on refrences to the 1939 film.
@@vs5133 Thank you! I’ve known about her for years before she even showed up in the MCU because of that show. The OP doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Grace's point about WW, Barbie, and Agatha was that the cast in each of those projects really inhabited their characters. She's not directly comparing those three projects against each other.
@@deadpool-s3s the baby was already 1 yo before they started shootings in 2022 and besides that, couples with babies divorce more frequently than you can imagine since they try to have a baby to save the relationship, we don’t know these people personally so let’s stop pretending we do
Also, and small correction, there have been other black Elphaba’s before (as well as Glinda’s). The current Elphaba on the west end is Black. There hasn’t been a principal black Elphaba on Broadway though, just understudies.
I’m BEAMING right now. I am so thankful that John Chu really understood how important and special this show was and took care of it so well. Wicked has entered the mainframe and I am just so touched to see it making the waves that it has made for decades on Broadway.
You're in for a treat Grace with Act II next year. The broadway is coming back to Los Angeles. It's so good and looking forward to this. If I remember correctly the broadway also had those themes pretty much in there. I'm planning to read the books next.
The Broadway show lightens up the politics from the Baum book and from the Mcguire book. I think if you read any (2-14) of the rest of the Oz books by Baum as an adult could easily find the politics that Maguire expanded into his version.
This musical, story and just overall music has helped me so much during some dark times in my life. Never thought I'd see the day where it was going to be adapted and see a review from you Grace 😀🙏 can't wait for this to come out. Weird release strategy for Universal again.. only comes out 4th december in European countries.
the only thing i could think of when watching this film was how hard Elphaba fought against injustice and in the end got painted as the villain and how real that is in our current world today especially the United States.
The novel was wonderful. Everyone could relate to Elphaba particularly. I was really hoping for a non-musical mini-series. I definitely won’t see this at a theater. Maybe streaming
Grace you nailed it, Wicked is all about the choices we make throughout our lives and living with the consequences of said choices. We just got out of an IMAX screening & several times during the movie our entire audience erupted in applause, especially at the end! I can't recommend this movie enough! ❤
Just so you know, the movie and the musical is basically 98% identical. Any messaging that you were talking about or thinking about, that was all in the original staged musical.
Alexia Khadime was the first black woman to play the role of elphaba in the west end coming after Kerry Ellis in the UK and has returned to the role and is the current elphaba in the west end
The fact that witches are having such a positive spell (😉) in Hollywood at the moment tells me that we’re about to get a huge resurgence of witches in books too. We’ve had lots of witchy books in the last few years, but I’m thinking booktok is going to be stories of witch after witch after witch after witch 😍😍
I'm so sad and angry that I have to wait till the 4th of December to go watch this in theatre. Makes no sense that most European countries have to wait 2 more weeks. 🤦🏼♀️😪
In the musical, Elfaba was a very powerful female character written right! Incredibly powerful, but had to learn to use it wisely and yield her abilities for the sake of doing what is truly good.
GRACE! Loved this. And if THIS is how you responded to that LAST SONG before the "intermission" - you're going to NEED year to get ready for the FINALE of this show. It'll REWRITE your heart! I cannot wait for friday. My boyf and I are doing a double feature this day: this and Glad. 2!
I love Grace’s new trend of serving looks in her reviews!
Indeed 🎉
love that she's method dressing too 😂
Love it too !
Yes it’s so fun and she’s so beautiful !
It’s so fun!!
The book is SO much darker than the play. I totally understand why the play cuts a lot of that out, but I am glad John Chu and company decided to add some of that adult aspect back into the story. Helps the movie seem like more than just a live action Disney princess movie.
The book is a dark and very violent political thriller that just happens to be set in Oz.
The musical is a generic high-school teenage drama.
@arc7375 you've made me curious to read the book 😄👍
@@irinapostelnicu203 I honestly loved it.
@@irinapostelnicu203 Definitely give it a try! It doesn’t really have anything in common with the musical aside from the characters (and even then, the characters are generally very different compared to the musical)!
Like I say though, it can get _very_ violent.
I personally think it’s much better than the musical. There are also several other books on the series - it’s on ongoing saga. “Wicked” is just the first book.
What is it with you losers praising books but immediately dismissing any show or movie about the same. If wicked was a generic high school musical as you said it was, it wouldnt have been so popular and loved. @@arc7375
Cynthia Erivo is not the first Black Woman to play Elphaba. Alexia Khadime is the current Elphaba in the West End. She first played the role back in 2008. Brandi Chavonne Massey, Lilli Cooper (Sandy in Spongebob the Musical), Emmy Raver-Lampman (Allison in Umbrella Academy) & Saycon Sengbloh have all played Elphaba in Wicked on Stage.
To note, Alexia is the first black woman to play Elphaba full time. All the other performers you listed were understudies.
@theaubreysmalls I know. Why do you think I said her name first?
@@Almando how is someone reading comments suppose to know why you listed her first? The comment was clarifying, which you did not :)
@@PigsInYourYard Lol she did state that Alexia played Elphaba first. “Alexia Khadime is the current Elphaba in the West End. She played the role FIRST in 2008” Did y’all miss that part?
There’s non theatre people out here so the actual distinction between a Full time lead and a standby/understudy would help. And really weird to not acknowledge Saycon as the first ever to play it, regardless of full time. Give her flowers
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…..
If you grew up watching Victorious, you know Ariana Grande was going to knock it out the park.
Yep! This role is very cat valentine and perfect for her, and Ariana even sang a pop song that interpolates popular. She was made for this role.
havent seen this film yet, but im glad shes getting such rave reviews. shes great on snl too. she shines in comedy & im excited to see her a bit of her dramatic side too
YES! I point this out every time people say they can’t picture her doing well. She killed it vocally and acting wise on Victorious. No surprised she did amazing (I’ve seen the movie).
EXACTLY, we all knew 😊
Grace isn’t messing around. 3:00pm on the dot!!😂
One of the first videos I watched from your channel was about universal potentially doing a film adaptation of wicked. 11 years later I’m finally watching you review it😂❤
It's always been very political and about female friendship and how women they can treat each other.
🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
The movie is so very faithful and true to the stage musical!!!
For some context: the Munchkins in the Oz books are people of all varieties of heights. It’s just the term for a person from the East part of Oz.
Thanks for the clarification, but Grace's point still stands: the actors from the little people community could have taken those roles and earned money if Peter Dinklage hadn't opened his mouth 🤷♀
@@mjracle7421 No it does not, there was still little people in "one short " at the Emerald city. Both the broadway show and the book make it clear that Munchkins are not all short at all. Peter literally wants little people to get more jobs that are not always regulated to Christmas elves and fairy tale creatures.
If you cried on 'Defying Gravity'... you will bawl on 'For Good'. Already looking forward to Part 2.
Wow metalhead guy checking reviews before taking my musical theater loving wife to it. She's concerned about the part 1 thing and after a decade I mostly just remember the end of the play. But you mentioned For Good and I teared up. Damn. Definitely looking forward to part 2 but I'm glad to hear part 1 holds up, that doesn't always happen imo.
The Broadway show was a purposeful commentary on the Bush/Cheney landscape in America at that time. The joke about "regime change" was easier to understand with the post 9/11 and War on Terror audience.
Plus the joke about "I'm an unelected official"
All the political stuff comes from the book, the musical is not as political, focusing more on elphaba’s relationships to glinda and fiyero.
Apparently for the movie they added more things from the book
Not entirely true though, as the Broadway show still is deeply political, it just builds more into the politics in act ii and is very much a political story of its time (with direct references to politics of 2003)
Early shows made references to current politics (Bush administration) as jokes to coincide the political themes of the musical. I think they still do it depending on current political situations. The book was also political and the original Oz books as well but was in disguise as metaphors.
In the original wicked politics were very much involved. Glinda was portrayed as a political figure of the right(more so in the second act) while elphaba was portrayed as a radical rebel feminist who stands up for what she believes is right and is shunned by society for it.
MARGARET HAMILTON was the original "Wicked Witch" in the Wizard of Oz 1939 film. She was a wonderful woman in real life and an advocate for animals and Judy Garland, and she also endured a toxic environment in making the film with the upmost professionalism.
Wicked has ALWAYS been a political piece. Those lines have stayed the same since its' premiere in 2003, it just happens to be as relevant as ever now in 2024. Thanks for your review, Grace! Can't wait for your spoiler video!
Grace, have to pull you up - Cynthia isn't the first black actress to play Elphaba: Saycon Sengbloh, Alexia Khadime (currently Elphaba in London) and Jeannette Bayardelle each need their flowers for their work in the role!
Maybe she meant Broadway specifically ?
@wordsinahandle Saycon and Jeannette were on Broadway.
@AaronOwenBailey oh I'm so sorry. then you're absolutely right to point it out. :)
Wicked is set to debut at $165M-$200M worldwide which is a phenomenal start for this Universal event!
I saw it last night. I love the Broadway musical, but was very skeptical for so many reasons for the film. But wow...this film had me in tears multiple times and I am not usually a crier during films. So many wonderful moments. The moment it ended I was ready to watch it again.
EDIT: Also, the musical doesn't feature any of the diversity and representation that was present in the film. Broadway (especially in 2003 when the show came out) is still a very conservative environment. Historically, the role of Nessarose has not been played by an actress with a disability, and there's only been 2 black women to ever lead the show full time. The theme of friendship is the core of the show, and the film definitely punched up a lot of the themes of equality.
Same!
I cried from joy and also from emotion for characters.
Nessarose specifically hasn’t been played by an actress with a disability due to the physicality of the role in Act 2 (something I won’t spoil for the second movie of course!)
@@stephballchange5050yep as someone who also saw the play Ik what you meant
In the book Munchkins are generally shorter than average height & prejudiced against, contrast Elphaba's height, symbolizing societal bias based on appearance.
I thought that it was a mixture of average sized people and shorter people. For example, isn’t elephaba’s father (Frex, not her biological father) supposed to be quite tall as well.
@jamiegdubois yes, there are the typical Munchkins of Munchkindland, but there are also "normal" sized Munchkinlanders, like the Thropp family which governs Munchkinland, and Frex's family.
ironically, when you say that Hollywood struggles to appeal to women with female-led superhero projects, the ones who *did* appeal to women and even men, are the ones led by witches. because wandavision made a huge splash and was about a woman accepting her grief (plus that she's a witch). and agatha all along seems to also have been really popular among women and queer people.
and if Wicked *is* as superhero-esque as you say and it does well with female audiences, it would be another witchy project that connects well with it's non-male audiences
Almost no one watched Agatha All Along. It got less viewership than even The Acolyte 😂
@@tonyilias2561 sheep
@@tonyilias2561Weird, I read many articles all saying otherwise. May I ask where you got that info so that I could read about it?
Everyone loves witches
I've seen the show every single year in NYC for my birthday since I was 25. Everyone always cries during For Good and Defying Gravity and no matter how many times I see it, it still resonates so much with me. I'm glad you got to experience the magic Grace!
For me Galinda reminds me of masking (perfectionism, social pleasing, emphasis on materialism and external appearance), building up to the point that she drifts so far from her core, even actively suppresses it because of cognitive dissonance, that she internalises her superficial 'front' and gets cornered by her opportunistic path. It goes so far that it's bordering on covert narcissism that she exaggerates to the outside but we see that she actually has a heart and cares but feels like she cannot show it to others & herself.
Elphaba starts with masking as well but in an opposite way: to protect herself she hardens, suppresses her feelings and drive to the point that it appears as though she doesn't care what people think of her and that she doesn't need anybody and that opening up makes you vulnerable. She's unmasking slowly and but due to events retreats again but in a more conscious, empowered, authentic way at least at first. That choice gives her a lot but costs a lot as well. It along with circumstances corners her as well, where she feels like she has no choice then to follow the path/act through but now also is aware of the disconnect with her true self + a kind of mourning of what she could have been when she had more favorable circumstances, validating support, experiences and upbringing where she got a brief taste of at Shiz eventually. That taste makes it even harder to turn away from ❤
She has in common with Galinda that she deep down does care deeply, also feels like she cannot show it but covers up with a different, antisocial mask.🎉
Deep down they are much more alike than meets the eye, perhaps they even don't realize it themselves. That + their opposite coping is both the reason why they connect and cannot stand each other simultaneously.
Beautifully articulated
It's interesting how the word "messaging" is being used mostly for stories with themes of inclusion and progressive values, but actually, ALL storytelling involves "messaging" in the form of THEMES, which are intrinsic to ANY story. Conservative-aimed media is absolutely heavyhanded with blunt messaging as well. But it's never painted as "messaging"... Hmm!
I’m glad you called out Peter Dinklage and how the movie also didn’t bother to cast little people for the Munchkin roles.
In the book and stage musical the munchkins are not said to to be little people
@@Hal-x7l Correct, they were reimagined in the book and musical just to be people from Munchkin Land but people unfamiliar with those are going to wonder why they aren't Little people actors.
The 1939 film did cast little people for the role of Munchkins
@@Hal-x7lNot quite true. Munchkinland very much is inhabited by short stature people, but there are also "normal" sized Munchkinlanders as well. Boq, for instance, is one of the short statured Munchkinlanders in the books
There is ONE Black woman who has played Elphaba full-time -- her name is Alexis Khadime, and she played the role on the West End from 2008-2010, then came back to the show in 2023 (when I saw her -- amazing talent). Shes still there today, and shes the only Black woman to have played her full time. Just a few years ago, Broadway welcomed its first Black Galinda as well! The musical theatre industry is brutal for casting diversely in these long running shows, so I hope the casting teams across the globe take Cynthia's turn as inspiration for looking beyond white women who they're going to paint green eight times a week.
Wonderful review! As a lifelong Wicked fan, I'm so happy you were able to enjoy the movie. The messaging is as strong in the musical, with only a few lines in the movie added for extra impact (for example "I don't see color"). Cynthia being the first black Elphaba definitely heightened and improved many of the themes already in the story. So happy for Cynthia, and Ariana too! Performances for the ages
I hate being the "uhm, actually" guy but... uhm, actually Cynthia is NOT the first black actress to portray Elphaba. Alexia Khadime is the current Elphaba in the West End production - she was indeed the first black actress to play the role full time. Alexia originally played the role June - November 2008 and May 2009 - March 2010. FUN FACT: the current West End Glinda, Lucy St. Louis, is also black, so the West End has the first ever (and only, so far) all-black pairing of Elphaba and Glinda actresses.
Thanks for letting me know. A shame more people don't know about Alexia's impact on the role. Regardless, her and Erivo belong to a small group
Shoutout to Saycon Sangelo, a standby for Elphaba on Broadway and the first black actress to play the role.
@@antony_post it is quite shocking that Cynthia is only the second black actress in the role "full-time"
@@JoseBraghiroli there is also Ryan Reid playing Fiyero who is a black actor. so its also the first time he 3 leads are people of colour and they are all incredible
i’m so happy that they took stuff from the book too cause the book is very different from the musical
I saw it yesterday and wouldn’t change a thing.
I have seen the broadway multiple times and they did an amazing job adapting it to film.
Can we talk for a minute about Grace’s choice of colour in her clothes?! Never fails to deliver. Absolute queen!!!!
Love your outfit! Been looking forward to your review!
Hearing Grace talk about Ariana Grande in Spoiler Free movie still blows my mind. Wishes do come true 😭
How sad your life must be
@@ryany2882for enjoying a musician and movies? Lmfao
@@ryany2882yours sure is sadder since you’re so pressed about this comment
As a huge Ariana Grande fan and a Grace Randolph stan. I love hearing my favorite TH-camr praise my favorite performer ⭐️
@@miir01 also it's obviously a bot comment
"...but it is also about pink & green, hoohoohoohoo" 🤣 ilysm Grace never change ❣️
My favourite songs in Wicked are Defying Gravity and No Good Deed. The latter is in part 2.
Grace, THIS TOP!! It’s giving Elphaba and Galinda 😭😭
I’d say the movie goes deeper with the fascism/dictatorship theme and revising/erasing history theme than the musical. It’s in the show, but the movie fleshes it out much greater. Honestly, it was slightly chilling to see the present day parallels within the film.
The “messaging” is the same in the stage version.
it’s weird cause i genuinely didn’t think it was THAT heavy in the movie as grace does. but i respect her pov
We will see because the stage version just adds new layers to both characters but Cynthia's interviews were preachy.
@@kisaragistation5220 I disagree.
Nice shout out for Rogue. Great to see considering how badly the comics actually treated her. She is only really getting built up and dusted off with Gail Simone's Uncanny Xmen. Even her once perfect adoption origins were turned upside down and made cynical to validate a male character at her expense I greatly argue. The Savage Lands reboot being the solo Rogue fans get is such an insult. Nobody needs a repeat of that degradation and the fans are protesting and fighting it. But Marvel comics and the nochalant editors just let writers do what they want and really ignore the fans to their detriment. So that's a loss for Rogue who deserves to be uplifted like Storm and Jean but still faces the wrath of biased male writers.
The book is incredibly dark and political (I mean, it is from the "villain" POV so it was the OG Joker in that sense). I heard the musical was lighter in some aspects but still retained the core messaging so this is not surprising at all.
Witches have always been a powerful representation of feminine gravitas. It's been there as a counterpart to Superheroes all along.
That’s what I was thinking when she said that. What about Practical Magic, The Craft, Charmed?
The book and the musical are very political and the book in particular is very dark and reflects a lot of social issues in America.
No they aren't
Not about US no. The book just wants to show another side to both women
@@ryany2882The book (and sequels) are very much heavily Theological, Philosophical, and Political
@Legacysong2012 no not like this they aren't
@ryany2882 you are correct, because the books are more political, theological, and philosophical than the musical
You know it’s a good movie when Grace tears up during the review.
Nah, she teared up during the Endgame review.
@@espo221bwell she’s a huge marvel fan and endgame was a basically love letter to the fans
@mattiyap i was a huge marvel fan and I disagree. But to each their own.
The book was VERY political and the themes of Wicked have always had some discussion of race so hearing it speaking on Feminism doesn’t sulfide me, but I hope it hasn’t moved from that race discussion. As a black theater kid the casting of Cynthia is important and if we can remember the discourse of the little mermaid (Funny how no one’s dragging Cynthia’s casting like they did Halle Bailey? Would it be the same if Cynthia had been cast as Glinda?). I’m excited for the film and I hope it’s done right, it’s always been for the outcasts and I think Wicked is at its best when it leans into that.
If Cynthia was playing Glinda...There would be boycotts on Broadway and all over the country. It would be hell
@@lisacox306Glinda has been played by black actresses before - but Cynthia is cast in the right role. She's phenomenal.
No one cares because her skin color is green so she still looks like the character. Anyone can dye their skin green lol.
@@rosemulet, well, it's makeup (not dye), but yes, you're right, no one cares what color her skin is under the green makeup.
The Halle Bailey casting was dragged because the Little Mermaid is a very visible, popular and distinctively white, red-headed character that had been established in other media and at the theme parks for decades. The added layer of annoyance was the trend of casting African-Americans in roles for white, red-headed characters.
Thanks!
give me some too
Oh wow! I just saw this - thank you for always being so supportive!
5:07 This gave me chills. To reclaim the label “witch” which has been used to silence, vilify, and even murder innocent women is truly a beautiful thing. I’m sure the hundreds of thousands of innocent women who were killed for falsely accused of witchcraft would be so proud. So many of them were persecuted just because they stood out or because they were different.
Only in the west.
@@VesnaLukic-h8w yes, but the Wizard of Oz is one of the most iconic American films and Wicked makes a lot of social commentary on Western social issues so I think it fits.
I’m more inclined to see it now. Reading that it is a blend of the book and musical. Having read the book and seen the broadway musical. I enjoyed the musical. But the book is just such an interesting world that needed to be fleshed out. Very encouraging.
The messaging has always been there - from the book to the stage show and as a result the movie. The movie couldn’t be faithful to the source material if it didn’t include the messaging- particularly the political aspects 😊
Just got out of the film….Ariana Grande is one of the funniest actors I’ve see this year, wow
The book series is the original source. It's definitely worth a read, and should be considered when discussing the film's messaging.
Thanks queen! Love the ribbon, so beautiful.
Have not seen the film yet, but yes, the play is VERY message heavy. The Wizard and his role in Oz, especially
Girl if you think the musical is political you are NOT ready for the book
Ariana Grande received criticism ever since she started dating the guy who plays Boq after his wife just gave birth to their first child. His wife was left with a newborn baby to raise alone while he pranced around with Ariana. Not a good look.
get over it
@Eren3505 This is the type of attitude Grace was alluding to I'm sure
the internet has been cruel to her LOOOONG before that
@@yolo8283 Ariana has a long history
@@deadpool-s3sno
Three weeks after publishing I’m pleasantly surprised to this vid getting movie math numbers 💚💖 118k & counting 🎉
Saw it today... it was amazing. I have the book, saw the show AND the movie now... I prefer the movie MUCH more than the play! A+
Oh boy, it part one is super message heavy, just you wait. Act 2 focuses heavily on the media and propaganda and how they paint people as villains. Mob mentality, etc.
If you thought it was too political in part one (it’s always been there and that’s part of the fabric of the story) you’ll have complaints for part two.
I just watched the movie and I can’t believe I actually cried tears during Defying Gravity. As one of my favorite Broadway songs, I remember watching the play in New York and being utterly amazed. Ariana absolutely surprised me and Cynthia…well, all is forgiven. I can’t deny her great talents.
Black women are going to relate to the wicked witch of the West? Why? Being judged by your looks or the color of your skin seems like one of the last things they would want. This seems like it might have been better as a Baz Luhrmann style musical.
As a black woman who just saw this movie - I related very much to Elphaba. I was very moved as I left the theater.
Wonderful review Grace! Yes, the original Wicked musical is very message heavy, but that’s what a lot of diehard fans love about it. Sugar does indeed help the medicine go down.
It's basically a story about leaving a toxic community
Succinct but true!
And this movie is about to enter the toxic communities
It's about self empowerment and self acceptance regardless of what anyone says. There was no switching sides here. Elphaba is both good and bad.
Grace this is NOT the first time a black woman has played Elphaba
There have been black understudies and standbys, but there has only been one black woman (Alexia Khadime) to lead a production of Wicked. That was 15 years ago on the West End. We’ve had more women of color play Glinda than we have had as Elphaba!
Alexia Khadime is currently leading the West End company in the UK but has been the only full-time Elphaba in the history of this show. The others have only been understudies/standbys unfortunately.
I'm kinda shocked how good the reviews are considering I thought the trailers looked super weak.
Same, the last trailer was the only decent trailer but that’s exactly why the hype was so weak all year until the last couple of weeks when they went really hard on the marketing.
May be overhyped
@@alaskafrozen4978 nope it’s just that good
@@miir01 Nope
@@deadpool-s3s i saw it last night and it IS that good!
I was not going to see the movie because of Ariana and Cynthia but I decided to give it a go. I sat in the theater watching and judging. I waited for the moment that was gonna pull me into the movie -and then it happened! It was saw raw, emotional, and powerful.
It’s always been a message heavy story, going back to the even darker, more political book upon which the musical is based.
Came for the movie review, stayed for the spot-on political commentary haha. :) Nice one, as always.
I saw Wicked on Broadway for the first in 2018 and was blown away by how timely the messages were.
I will say, while your points about Peter Dinklage and the munchkins is something that I do agree with.. Gregory Maguire establishes in the book that munchkins actually vary in size - and that it’s actually a misconception in Oz that all munchkins are short. Having said that though, I would’ve loved to see little people cast as munchkins as well.
I agree but maybe there are some that play as munchkins in the movie that we didn’t see, I know for sure that there are little people playing as citizens of the emerald city, you can see it in one of the featurette they released
@@miir01 oh I didn’t know that! That’s good at least. Seeing the movie today, so extremely keen to experience it all myself (finally 😭🙌🏻)
There was a reference to munchkins being "small minded" so I thought the small size was replaced with small brain!? 😂
So glad that non-theatre people are going to get to see this amazing spectacle that is wicked.
Agatha All Along + Harry Potter + Wonderwoman?! SIGN ME UP!
Wicked is a Broadway show, but the rest of the world isn't as familiar with it. My friends don't even know that the movie is a musical. I think it won't do as well outside of the USA because other countries aren't as familiar with the show, don't generally like musicals, and don't have the same nostalgia factor
and barbie.
@@erik_hirschew. Movie didn’t remind me of Barbie thank god it was so much better.
@@turtlesnail9824 first of all barbie is a phenomenal movie! and second of all it relates to wicked in a representation of feminism kind of way.
plus the builds up to a powerful ending and makes the journey all worth it
It’s not so much about feminism, a lot more about friendship
Whether the musical is political or not the messages are not forced. There were great female characters without being forced. This is what Hollywood need to do in future… make very faithful adaptations that put story and entertainment first and messages second.
Calling the rest of the Wicked soundtrack generic broadway it’s like… welcome to Wicked.
Alexia Khadime played the role in London's West End from 2008 to 2010. Khadime was the first Black actress to play the role full-time in the West End.
What I am terrified about is that watching the musical I know that Act 1 is MILES better than Act 2
Yeah, some reviews mentioned that the end of the movie seemed like a good ending, not a cliffhanger... so what would be the point of seeing part 2?
Part 2 is the bad effects of the choices to become Wicked as they want to describe her and owning it. So, it won't be as sunny and hopeful as part 1, but it's a reckoning on the choices we make in life and how it affects our lives. She keeps trying to use her powers to help, but they basically turn into corrupt a wish. The song No Good Deed basically says no matter how hard she tries to do good, something bad happens so no good deed will she ever do again, and then Dorothy comes along with her troupe to do their thing from the Wizard of Oz.
Hard disagree. "Thank Goodness" is haunting and "No Good Deed" and "As Long as You're Mine" both slap. The the plot just relies harder on refrences to the 1939 film.
Agatha isn't comparable to WW or Barbie, those two have decades of history and fandom.. only MCU disney plus viewers know who Agatha is
X-Men Evolution fans also know who Agatha Harkness is
That’s exactly what she was saying multiple times.
@@vs5133 Thank you! I’ve known about her for years before she even showed up in the MCU because of that show. The OP doesn’t know what they’re talking about.
Grace's point about WW, Barbie, and Agatha was that the cast in each of those projects really inhabited their characters. She's not directly comparing those three projects against each other.
I think the Elvira situation push it off the ledge because this is not the first time she acted like that.
Not only that but the whole homewrecking thing with Ethan whose wife just had a newborn baby during the filming of this
@@deadpool-s3s the baby was already 1 yo before they started shootings in 2022 and besides that, couples with babies divorce more frequently than you can imagine since they try to have a baby to save the relationship, we don’t know these people personally so let’s stop pretending we do
who gaf
Also, and small correction, there have been other black Elphaba’s before (as well as Glinda’s). The current Elphaba on the west end is Black. There hasn’t been a principal black Elphaba on Broadway though, just understudies.
I was really going through it today.Grace , thank you for keeping me going❤
Ariana Grande is getting hate recently because of her personal life.
I’m BEAMING right now. I am so thankful that John Chu really understood how important and special this show was and took care of it so well. Wicked has entered the mainframe and I am just so touched to see it making the waves that it has made for decades on Broadway.
You're in for a treat Grace with Act II next year. The broadway is coming back to Los Angeles. It's so good and looking forward to this. If I remember correctly the broadway also had those themes pretty much in there. I'm planning to read the books next.
Wicked had what i would consider the wedding cake treatment not the disney live actions
I appreciate Grace’s passion for this film. Thank you for the review. I'm not the audience for Wicked but I'm here for Grace’s reviews.
Thanks @grace. I don't always see eye to eye with you but I have mad respect for you and your work.
The Broadway show lightens up the politics from the Baum book and from the Mcguire book. I think if you read any (2-14) of the rest of the Oz books by Baum as an adult could easily find the politics that Maguire expanded into his version.
This musical, story and just overall music has helped me so much during some dark times in my life. Never thought I'd see the day where it was going to be adapted and see a review from you Grace 😀🙏 can't wait for this to come out. Weird release strategy for Universal again.. only comes out 4th december in European countries.
I saw the movie last night and I’m still trying to process how good it was 🥹💚 seeing it again tomorrow night!!
the only thing i could think of when watching this film was how hard Elphaba fought against injustice and in the end got painted as the villain and how real that is in our current world today especially the United States.
So it 's like Cruella.Nice.Poor little puppy killer is just missunderstood.
If she fights for injustice, doesn’t that make her a villain? Did you misspeak?
@@VesnaLukic-h8w Elphaba doesn’t kill anyone in part one
@@TheVisitors44 against injustice
Jonathan Bailey's role is that one college student who's still in college despite being kicked out other schools.
Wicked was kind of the pioneer of reimagining the traditional villain. Broadway musical was based on a novel of the same name.
The novel was wonderful. Everyone could relate to Elphaba particularly. I was really hoping for a non-musical mini-series.
I definitely won’t see this at a theater. Maybe streaming
A black woman played Elphaba in London. Alexia Khadime, I saw her 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Saycon Sengbloh was an alternate on Broadway.
Grace you nailed it, Wicked is all about the choices we make throughout our lives and living with the consequences of said choices. We just got out of an IMAX screening & several times during the movie our entire audience erupted in applause, especially at the end! I can't recommend this movie enough! ❤
Award chances?! Ohhhh I looooved it. The cape. The nod to the OG’s. 😢😢😢😢😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
The stage musical is message-heavy, as were the books; come to think of it, the original Oz books had some messaging to it, too.
i didn't like Barbie. still dont get the hype. but i love Cynthia's voice, the book, and the Broadway musical, so im going to see this
Cynthia's interviews on this were preachy which concerns me
Agreed…
Just so you know, the movie and the musical is basically 98% identical. Any messaging that you were talking about or thinking about, that was all in the original staged musical.
Alexia Khadime was the first black woman to play the role of elphaba in the west end coming after Kerry Ellis in the UK and has returned to the role and is the current elphaba in the west end
The fact that witches are having such a positive spell (😉) in Hollywood at the moment tells me that we’re about to get a huge resurgence of witches in books too. We’ve had lots of witchy books in the last few years, but I’m thinking booktok is going to be stories of witch after witch after witch after witch 😍😍
I'm so sad and angry that I have to wait till the 4th of December to go watch this in theatre. Makes no sense that most European countries have to wait 2 more weeks. 🤦🏼♀️😪
In the musical, Elfaba was a very powerful female character written right! Incredibly powerful, but had to learn to use it wisely and yield her abilities for the sake of doing what is truly good.
GRACE! Loved this. And if THIS is how you responded to that LAST SONG before the "intermission" - you're going to NEED year to get ready for the FINALE of this show. It'll REWRITE your heart! I cannot wait for friday. My boyf and I are doing a double feature this day: this and Glad. 2!