Are you ready to return to Oz in one of this year’s most anticipated prequel events? Even before the Wicked trailer dropped today, people were giddy with excitement about the hit musical coming to the silver screen. However, judging by the YouTube comments, now that they’ve seen snippets, they’re absolutely spellbound with anticipation for the movie’s Thanksgiving 2024 release.
The movie is an adaptation of the hit Broadway play, which was based on Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel of the same name. (Well, basically. That’s shortened up a bit. The full title is Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.)
But as YouTube user @felinegroovey8627 pointed out, “This is actually Wicked: Part One,” which will fly into theaters on November 27. Wicked: Part Two is scheduled for November 26, 2025.
That’s not one of the reasons everyone’s talking about the trailer, though. Let’s see what is.
Two Reasons Everyone’s Talking about the Wicked Trailer
1. That’s It’s Happening
I sort of already established this at the start of the post, and it’s pretty neck-and-neck with the second reason the Wicked trailer’s got people excited. But I’m bumping it to number one because there would be no number two without it coming to the big screen.
This comment from YouTube user @esmeraldanako2859 pretty much sums it all up: “God, it’s finally happening! I can’t believe it! Ariana and Cynthia were born to play this role, they are irreplaceable! I can’t wait to finally see it.”
Or, as @themoviegeek5745 put it, “This is one theatre kids have been waiting years for.”
2. The Cast
But the cast is definitely generating a ton of comments, particularly the two ladies in the leading roles: Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda.
My two favorites so far were from:
@duckymomo6675: “ariana and cynthia’s vocals are insane! the casting here is top tier!”
and
@charlottecourtwood1923: “Ariana’s natural comedic talent is just going to shine through these movies. She’s magnificent. Cynthia’s poise and embodiment of Elphaba are nothing short of perfection. I couldn’t be more excited to watch this trailer and the movies on repeat for years to come.”
Agreed.
I remember being wowed by Grande’s performance in Scream Queens. I didn’t know much about her before that, other than she was a singer of course. But she proved she had acting chops and spot-on comedic timing.
As far as Erivo, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around that’s her under the green makeup. My reaction played out something like this: “Why does she look familiar? I know I really liked her in something. Oh, wait. That Stephen King series on HBO. The Outsider. She was Holly Gibney! Holy cow, this is going to make her a legit star!”
Which, I think she already may be, but her part in Wicked is definitely going to cinch that.
Blockbuster or Giveaway?
Watching the Wicked trailer made my inner child’s heart soar. I’ve never seen the Broadway version or read the book, but I was a huge Wizard of Oz fan as a kid. The trailer makes me believe the movie rendition will be just as massive a hit as the one that starred Judy Garland.
That’s also been a popular consensus among the comments. As @ebonykaleidoscope put it, “All of the makings of a true blockbuster are here…. This should EASILY be a top 10 movie of all time. It looks wonderful, the story is ready made for the big screen and — (pssst) it absolutely killed on Broadway. What more could anyone want?”
Or as @tooruoikawa8985 so succinctly summed it up, “This movie is going to be Popular… I can just feel it.” (While I may not have seen the Broadway version, I am familiar with some of the songs. Loved what they did using one of those song titles in their comment.)
However, I’ve been duped before. Besides Wizard of Oz, two other movies from my youth remain cherished classics in my heart, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Like the Wicked trailer, the one for Wonka also stirred simultaneous feelings of nostalgia and excitement.
But it also made me wonder if it was less teaser and more movie summation. That’s how I felt after watching the Wicked trailer, and it appears I’m not alone as evidence by this comment from @Sophie-nz9fz: “well sheesh this is damn near the whole movie.”
Let’s hope not.
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Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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I remember reading the book the Broadway musical was based on back when it first became a hit. It sounded like such an interesting premise, but I couldn’t get what the excitement was about. The book was ‘meh’, and I wanted to like it. Oh well. Anyway, I am definitely intrigued how someone read it and immediately said, “MUSICAL!” What was that creative leap like?
I’ll wait for the reviews before I decide to see it.
Ooo! So interesting, Maria, because a big part of why I never read the book was because of the people I knew who had, they had the same reaction you did about it being “meh.” And then you made me chuckle about the “creative leap” bit. Hilarious! Now it makes me want to read the book just to try and puzzle that out! lol