The “Wicked” movie adaptation has completely redefined how this story hits. While the Broadway show has been a cultural giant for two decades, director Jon Chu’s film proves that sometimes taking something off the stage and into the cinematic world is exactly what a story needs to shine.
On stage, “Wicked” felt more like a fairy tale than a deep dive into its heavier themes.
Sure, the songs are iconic and the production is fun, but the plot felt like it skimmed the surface. It’s a story about propaganda and the abuse of power, but the stage version leans more on stock characters and oversimplified narratives.
It’s good at being family friendly Broadway fare, but it doesn’t exactly leave you thinking about how it ties to real-world issues.
The movie, though? It fixes all of that.
Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba is a game-changer. She’s not just the shy, misunderstood girl from the stage show. Her Elphaba has layers: strength, vulnerability and a quiet frustration that makes her so much more human.
You can feel the weight of her struggles in every scene, and it’s the kind of emotional depth you just can’t get on stage.
Erivo’s performance makes you root for her in a way that feels real, not like you’re cheering for some adorkable underdog trope.
Then there’s Ariana Grande’s Glinda, who leans hard into the pink, bubbly, over-the-top personality that contrasts perfectly with Elphaba’s energy. The dynamic between the two is electric and it makes their iconic songs “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” hit so much harder. In the movie, they’re not just catchy tunes but rather moments packed with meaning and emotion.
What’s really wild is how the movie makes even the filler songs from the stage version feel important.
The characters are so much more fleshed out that every lyric adds to their story.
You understand them on a deeper level, and that makes the music shine in ways it didn’t in the Broadway musical.
One of the film’s standout moments is a scene where Elphaba dances at a party, sur-rounded by people who’ve hurt her. It’s this powerful mix of triumph and sadness, and when the camera catches her single tear, you can feel it.
That kind of subtle, gut-punch sto-rytelling just isn’t possible in a theater.
Overall, Chu’s “Wicked” is everything the stage version wanted to be but couldn’t quite pull off.
It’s still entertaining. You’ll laugh, cry and want to watch it again immediately, but it also brings a depth that makes the story resonate on a whole new level. This isn’t just a good adaptation; it’s a better “Wicked.”
