One of the anticipated movie releases of the year is finally in theaters! Wicked: For Good, starring Ariana Grande (Glinda), Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero), Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Jeff Goldblum (the Wizard of Oz), Marissa Bode (Nessarose) and Ethan Slater (Boq) arrived in theaters on Nov. 21. During its opening weekend, Wicked: For Good made over 226 million dollars internationally. From wicked witches to not-so-wonderful wizards, this film shows how well a movie-to-musical adaptation can work in modern cinema. Wicked: Part One has already been recognized for 10 Academy Award nominations, 11 Critics’ Choice Awards, and four Grammy Awards, so the exponential success of its accompanying counterpart does not come as a surprise. With the overarching themes of friendship and love, it will be sure to leave viewers changed “For Good.”
The film begins with revealing that Elphaba has been hiding in the woods ever since her escape from the Wizard. Meanwhile in the Emerald City, major changes have been made. Glinda is now appointed as the “Good Witch” of Oz, working hand in hand with Madame Morrible and the Wizard to provide a sense of hope to the worried citizens of Oz. Fiyero is appointed as Captain of the Wizard’s guards, accepting the position in hopes of secretly finding Elphaba and saving her. Much to his dismay, Fiyero is getting married to Glinda, which is orchestrated by Madame Morrible to show Ozians that even love can make it through stressful times. Meanwhile, Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose, has also been granted the title of governor of Munchkin Land. Boq has been forced into a relationship with Nessarose even though he has a deep admiration for Glinda. In fear of Boq leaving her, Nessarose strips all munchkins of their rights, making it so he literally can not leave her.
Elphaba has to balance living in the shadows and avoiding capture by the Oz guards. Fiyero and Glinda are both concerned about Elphaba; while Fiyero plans to find Elphaba and run away with her, Glinda is more concerned with her relationships with Oz authorities like the Wizard and Madame Morrible. Elphaba continues to fight for animals’ rights and makes repeated efforts to expose the Wizard and his dishonesty towards the people of Oz. Elphaba navigates challenges in her friendship with Glinda following an intimate moment shared with her fiancé, Fiyero. These decisions lead to transformations such as Boq being turned into the Tin Man and Fiyero being transformed into the Scarecrow. “ I thought it was so interesting when they nodded to the original movie! I could not believe it!” said sophomore Olivia McDevitt. In the final moments of the film, Elphaba and Glinda share a heartwarming scene where they sing the title song “For Good,” recognizing how they have changed each other for the better. When asked what her favorite part of the movie was, sophomore Samantha Constanzo said it was during “For Good”. She further explained, “This was my favorite song from the movie because I loved watching Ariana and Cynthia relive their emotions not only as Elphaba and Glinda but as themselves as they reflect on their relationship with each other.”
This movie franchise has changed the game for musical-to-movie adaptations. Viewers can acknowledge how Erivo and Grande put their hearts and souls into these roles, truly encapsulating both the “Good” and “Wicked” sides of their characters. Not only does this movie succeed on its own, but it also does a fabulous job of translating the rush of live theater onto the big screen. The costumes designed by Paul Tazewell tell the characters’ stories, bringing iconic movies to life, like Glinda’s bubble dress and Elphaba’s black trench coat and signature black witch hat. Director Jon M. Chu brought in musical creators Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman to work on the film as well as including two new songs that did not originate from the musical. Elphaba’s “No Place Like Home” and Glinda’s “The Girl in the Bubble” were both written by Schwartz specifically for the film, adding a new surprise for fans of the original musical. “It was such a good surprise hearing the new songs in the theater… As an original fan of the musical, these two new songs gave the film a sense of individuality from the musical which I enjoy,” said sophomore Emilie Scala. M. Chu insisted on using real practical effects with the sets. These include a real yellow brick road and ten million real tulips that were planted for the Munchkin Land scenes. This film was worth the wait and will continue to make viewers from all over the globe feel “Wicked” for years to come.
