10 Biggest Differences Between The Wicked Movie & The Musical

Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Wicked: Part 1!

Universal’s 2024 Wicked movie might be based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical, but the big-screen adaptation makes significant changes that enhance the already existing story and characters. Twelve years after the movie was first announced, the Wicked adaptation was finally released in theaters on November 22, 2024, garnering overwhelming praise from fans of the musical.

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The film is one extremely loyal to the stage production, telling the same story of power, justice, and friendship. The writers even used some of the most iconic Wicked quotes in the script. However, not every story element and characterization in the movie comes from the source material. Because Wicked is split into two parts, the creative team had extra time to develop parts of the story in a fresh way, strengthening some of the best parts of the musical.

10 The Wicked Movie Shows A Flashback Of Elphaba’s Childhood

Viewers Get A Feel For Elphaba’s Life Growing Up

In the Wicked musical, the only references to Elphaba’s past are one brief scene when she is born and dialogue when she’s at Shiz University. The dialogue includes enough exposition to realize that her mother died when she was young, her father didn’t love her, and she took care of Nessarose. Wicked: Part 1 includes these same elements, but it provides a deeper understanding of Elphaba’s childhood by adding a flashback to her life when she was around 10 years old.

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Kids start bullying her for her green skin while she’s watching Nessa, and she has a magical outburst, causing Nessa to cry. Her father proceeds to berate her while her nanny comforts her. This scene displays the complex dynamics within Elphaba’s family tree in Wicked. It also provides an explanation for why the witch is immediately so reactive when she gets to Shiz University and people act repulsed. She has already heard the mocking from the time she was a child.

9 Dorothy Appears In The Wicked Movie

Dorothy Gale Makes A Cameo In The 2024 Wicked Movie

In the Wicked musical, Dorothy Gale never appears onstage despite having a significant impact on the story. Her silhouette is shown throwing water on the Wicked Witch of the West, and all other references involve Dorothy being offstage. Glinda shouts to the character who’s offstage, and Elphaba yells down to her through a trap door. The Wicked movie changes this with a small Wizard of Oz Easter egg that could hint at a more significant change in Wicked: Part 2’s story.

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Related Is Dorothy In Wicked 2?

The Wizard of Oz’s main character, Dorothy Gale, is not a significant presence in Wicked, so is she in Wicked 2? Here’s what is confirmed and known.

During the introduction of “No One Mourns the Wicked,” Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion walk down the yellow brick road in the direction of The Emerald City to see The Wizard – the events at the end of The Wizard of Oz. Considering she is directly referenced (albeit offstage) in the second half of the musical, Dorothy might make a bigger appearance in Wicked: Part 2.

8 Elphaba Isn’t Enrolled In Shiz University When She Arrives

Madame Morrible Helps Elphaba Stay At Shiz University

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In the Wicked musical, Elphaba arrives alongside Nessarose at Shiz University, with both young women being enrolled. The older sister is only allowed to attend the school in order to care for her disabled younger sister. Elphaba has her magical outburst when learning that the two won’t be each other’s roommates, gaining Madame Morrible’s attention. Wicked: Part 1 tweaks the story so that Elphaba isn’t planning to attend Shiz University, and she’s only there to drop off her sister. This seemingly minor change has major implications.

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Elphaba has a magical outburst because someone tries to move Nessarose against her will. Like in the musical, this outburst gains the attention of Madame Morrible. However, the fact that Elphaba isn’t a student yet when they meet changes their dynamic. It’s much easier for Morrible to manipulate the young woman in the movie because she’s indebted to her professor. Without Madame Morrible, she’d still be at home with her neglectful and cruel father. This makes it more of a betrayal when Elphaba learns that the professor has been manipulating her since their first interaction.

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7 Dr. Dillamond Is Part Of An Animal Resistance Group

The Resistance Group Secretly Track The Animal Crimes In Oz

Dr. Dillamond has a similar character arc within the Wicked movie and musical. He’s one of the last remaining speaking animal professors, and he teaches his students about the discrimination of animals during his history class. He’s eventually fired because he and the other speaking animals have been stripped of their legal rights. However, one significant difference exists between the two versions of the character. In the musical, he’s isolated from all the other speaking animals. However, Dr. Dillamond meets up with a secret group of animals in the movie, to whom he sings “Something Bad” from the Wicked soundtrack.

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While it’s never overtly confirmed, the scene implies that they’re an animal resistance group that tracks the crimes against animals and the talking animals who go missing after speaking out. At the end of Wicked: Part 1, Elphaba decides to fight back against The Wizard’s oppressive and discriminatory rules about the talking animals. As such, the animal resistance group could potentially come back in Wicked: Part 2, expanding the story from the musical.

6 Nessa Introduces Boq To Her Father In The Wicked Movie

Nessa And Boq Stand With Her Father When Elphaba Leaves Shiz

In the Wicked musical, Elphaba’s father, named Frexpar Thropp in the book and movie, drops Nessa and Elphaba off at Shiz University, but he never appears onstage after this point. The movie changes this by having Frexpar show up at the university when everyone sends Elphaba off to the Emerald City. During this brief moment, Nessarose introduces Boq to her father.

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This shows the emotional attachment she’s developed for her unrequited love. Within a short period of time, she goes from having a simple crush to introducing him to her father – a fairly major step in a relationship. The scene also implies that she might not realize that Boq is in love with Glinda. She might not have detected yet that Boq lied to her about why he asked her on a date to the Ozdust Ballroom.

5 Elphaba And Glinda Choose The Yellow Brick Road Color

The Two Main Characters Select The Iconic Yellow Color

Wicked Part 1 adds an entirely new scene before “A Sentimental Man” when Elphaba and Glinda visit The Wizard in The Emerald City. After they arrive, The Wizard decides to show them his model of “Oz of Tomorrow.” In addition to a bigger and more flashy capital city building, the model includes a road that spans most of the region. He explains that he wants everyone to know they can just “follow the road; follow the road” if they need his help.

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However, the brick road is simply a beige color, and he explains he can’t decide on a paint choice. He allows Elphaba and Glinda to press buttons that shine colors on the road, asking what color Elphaba thinks it should be. After flicking through the options, Glinda and Elphaba settle on the color yellow, turning it from an ordinary pathway to the iconic Ozian landmark.

4 Madame Morrible Was Working With The Wizard From The Start

Madame Morrible Is More Nefarious In The Movie

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While Madame Morrible works with The Wizard from the start in Gregory Maguire’s dark Wicked book, the musical leaves her early involvement extremely ambiguous. Elphaba asks about her knowledge of The Wizard’s plan, and Madame Morrible says it’s “for you too, deary.” However, the script never clarifies whether Madame Morrible learned of the plan when she became the Press Secretary or if she knew prior to meeting Elphaba. Ultimately, the takeaway depends heavily on the actor in the specific stage show and the audience member’s perception.

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Wicked: Part 1 uses the same general lines in this scene, but Michelle Yeoh perfectly executes her tone, facial expression, and body language to convey that Madame Morrible has been working with The Wizard for a long time. The pair’s strong chemistry and physical contact feel like that of close friends. Moreover, Elphaba specifically asks if she knew from the start in the movie instead of just asking if she knew – a minute change from the musical to the movie, which removes some of the ambiguity.

3 The Movie Shows Why The Munchkins Worship The Wizard

“One Short Day” Includes A Section About The Wizard’s Rise To Power

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Both 1939’s The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked musical include vague explanations about why The Wizard became the political leader of Oz. However, the answers aren’t detailed enough to quell the curious. Luckily, Wicked: Part 1 alters the song “One Short Day” to address the lingering question. The section is sung by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, Broadway’s original Elphaba and Glinda, and it explains precisely how The Wizard ascended to power after arriving in the mystical land by hot air balloon.

Related Every Wizard Of Oz Character Who Appears In Wicked

Wicked includes many characters from the original Wizard of Oz story, but their arcs are reframed to reveal more about the complex politics of Oz.

Long before his arrival, a group of magically adept individuals called “The Wise Ones” who led Oz. Before they died out, they prophecized that a person who could read The Grimmerie would arrive in Oz when the people needed it most. Because The Wizard could read the book, they assumed he was the wizard who would save them.

2 Elphaba And Fiyero Meet In A New Way In The Movie

The Couple Meet One-On-One Rather Than In A Public Setting

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Throughout both the Wicked Broadway musical and the movie, Fiyero, Elphaba, and Glinda are in a love triangle. In the musical, Elphaba and Glinda meet Fiyero in the same scene. This doesn’t give either of the couples enough one-on-one time to develop a strong chemistry or foundation. However, Wicked: Part 1 changes the way that Elphaba and Fiyero meet. After Elphaba leaves Dr. Dillamond’s animal group, she walks through the forest, where Fiyero’s horse runs into her.

The two have just as much animosity as they do in their musical introduction, but the fact that nobody else is around gives the pair a chance to develop chemistry without the distraction of other students. Elphaba and Fiyero’s meet-cute also feels more natural and less rushed than the musical scene. Ultimately, the new scene in Wicked: Part 1 provides a better foundation for Elphaba and Fiyero’s connection towards the end of the movie.

In the
Wicked
book by Gregory Maguire, Fiyero and Elphaba have an affair while he’s married, resulting in a child named Liir Thropp.

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1 Wicked: Part 1’s “Defying Gravity” Lead-Up Is More Intense Than The Musical Version

The Ending Matches The Intensity Of The Iconic Wicked Song

Image via Universal Pictures

One of the most exciting changes between the Wicked musical and the movie is the scene leading up to “Defying Gravity.” In the stage show, The Wizard orders the guards to go after Elphaba, causing Elphaba and Glinda to barricade themselves in a room. The movie adaptation ups the drama, tension, and action before and during the iconic song.

Instead of a few guards chasing the pair, a whole slew of them chase Elphaba. Additionally, Madame Morrible sends Wicked’s flying monkeys after the pair, resulting in a frightening scene where they smash through the glass windows with their claws. Finally, Elphaba and Glinda try to escape in The Wizard’s hot air balloon and must improvise when the balloon pops. While the changes might make Wicked: Part 1’s ending slightly scarier for children, the new lead-up feels proportionately epic when compared to the showstopping song.

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9/10 10/10 Wicked PGAdventureFantasyMusical

Director Jon M. Chu Release Date November 22, 2024 Studio(s) Marc Platt Productions Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Gregory Maguire , Winnie Holzman , Dana Fox , L. Frank Baum Cast Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd Character(s) Elphaba Thropp , Glinda Upland , Madame Morrible , The Wizard , Fiyero Tigelaar , Boq , Nessarose Thropp , Pfannee , ShenShen , Miss Coddle , Doctor Dillamond (voice) , Avaric Tenmeadows , Gilligan , Professor Nikidik , Glinda’s Father , Governor Frexspar Thropp , Melena Thropp , The Midwife Runtime 160 Minutes Main Genre Musical Expand

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment