Stephen Swartz’s music and lyrics for the musical Wicked took the world by storm when the stage play, adapted from Winnie Holzman’s book, hit Broadway in 2003. Even though I never had the opportunity to see the production, I have become fond of the music and still remember the songs 20+ years later. So, when it was announced that Wicked would become a musical movie, starring thee incredible Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and pop singer superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, all I could feel was excitement. Nothing could deter me from channeling my 13-year old self and fulfilling my inner teenage dream of finally seeing Wicked on the big screen.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Wicked (part I) follows the events before the arrival of Dorothy and Toto to the Land of Oz. Specifically, it centers on the perspective of Elphaba (Erivo) prior to her becoming the wicked witch of the west. From the moment Elphaba was born with her green skin, she was an outsider. Her father, Frexspar Thropp (Andy Nyman), the governor of Munchkinland rejected her. Even the fellow munchkin children bullied her. It wasn’t until her arrival at Shiz University, where she was supposed to just drop off her younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) and leave, when she experienced her first display of kindness.

Wicked is a movie-going experience of a lifetime.

Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the Headmistress of Shiz University, recognized Elphaba’s potential immediately, much to the dismay of Galinda Upland (Grande), an aspiring witch with a deep desire for popularity and approval. When Morrible assigns Elphaba to share a suite with Galinda, the hats come off, sparking their feud and disdain for one another. As cruel jokes evolve into an enormously hurtful experience for Elphaba, Galinda changes her mind seeing all the damage she caused. From there, the two build a friendship until an encounter with the Wizard leads their friendship to a crossroad.

Director Jon M. Chu’s Wicked is a movie-going experience of a lifetime. Together with cinematographer Alice Brooks and Nathan Crowley’s stage production, the team behind this dashing movie musical, Wicked, has created an immersive, nostalgic, and unbelievably heartfelt experience. As someone who did not see the story while it had its run on Broadway (but have an understanding of how much the musical means to people then and now), I cannot imagine it being any better than this.

The stage production of Wicked is a big stand out.

When you take a beloved product like The Wizard of Oz and create a backstory for the story’s villain, you’re already setting yourself up for huge hurdles to overcome. Yet, they did it in 2003. Now, I’m confident Chu and company will do it again with their movie musical. His direction is a major part of the film’s success along with the stage production that compliments the journey that Elphaba and Galinda go on. With stunning musical numbers and choreography, Wicked will go down as one of the best movie adaptations (from a musical). There are no ifs, ands, or butts about that.

Occasionally, the film does contain some CGI issues that are noticeable throughout. Yet, I found it easy to reel myself back in thanks to the messages within the film and the production. At the core of this origin story is a focus on empathy and friendship between two unlikely souls, which is where this film flies high and defies all expectations.

Similarly, the success of Wicked’s movie theater run will also be attributed to Grande and Erivo’s performances. Grande looked so comfortable playing Galinda. She’s got the acting chops and comedic timing to help you understand why she was chosen for this role. I do wish she enunciated her words better—especially since musical theater calls for it. However, that did not overwhelmingly hurt her performance for me.

Cynthia Erivo shines bright like the star she is.

The entire cast showed up and showed out in this film, but please make no mistake. This is Cynthia Erivo’s movie. What she was able to do with this character on screen is unbelievable. If you’re unfamiliar with her work, please do yourself a favor and watch Widows (2018) and Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), both demonstrating her acting chops and the latter giving insight to her vocal abilities. At 5 ft. 1 in, I am perplexed how a big, powerful, beautiful voice can come from such a tiny human. I only hope that I can shout it from the rooftops at an effective enough level to match the way Erivo’s performance and vocals will impact viewers emotionally.

Whether or not you’re a fan of Broadway or movie musicals, I want everyone to rush to the theater to see Wicked. And if you’re one of the lucky ones who did have the opportunity to see Wicked when it had its run on Broadway, you will not be disappointed in the slightest. What a time to be able to experience this beloved story on the big screen. Though there will be a full year from now until Part II releases in theaters (November 2025), there will be plenty of time in between for multiple viewings.

Check out the trailer for Wicked below: