When we think of Oz, our minds directly relate it to Dorothy, the yellow brick road, and her marvelous adventures; what if there was another side to that story? Wicked, a highly anticipated big-screen adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, follows the story of Elphaba, the green-skinned girl who would one day become the Wicked Witch of the West, in this updated version with CGI technology and reimagination of the characters for today's audience.
“Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu, is a musical fantasy film released in 2024. The film is the first of two productions adapting the highly praised Broadway musical. It tells the untold story of the witches of Oz and centers on the complicated relationship between Elphaba, the girl with green skin, and Glinda, the popular and privileged student. Their unlikely friendship at Shiz University sets the stage for the events that lead to Elphaba’s transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda’s evolution into Glinda the Good.
The story commences with Elphaba and Glinda’s meeting at Shiz University, where they are assigned as roommates. Despite their differences, they form a strong bond. Their journey includes encounters with characters such as Fiyero, a handsome student who becomes entangled in their lives, and Madame Morrible, the headmistress of Shiz University. The film explores themes of friendship, identity, and the societal pressures that shape their lives.
Jon M. Chu, the director of the highly-anticipated film adaptation of Wicked, has brought his lifelong passion for musicals to reimagining the Broadway classic. Having directed such music-driven films as Step Up 2 and In the Heights, Chu spoke about the challenges of crafting a cinematic spectacle —from casting iconic roles to deciding on a two-part format for the film. Having admired Wicked since its pre-Broadway run in 2003, Chu embraced the opportunity to direct it. After years of persistence, he infused his experiences and love for musicals into the project. The film is a celebration of individuality and connection, with Chu, Erivo, and Grande each finding personal resonance in the characters they brought to life.
The film boasts an amazing cast: Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, Ariana Grande as Galinda Upland, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman and so on... This incredible cast enhances the overall experience.
From space whales to sound-hunting aliens, CGI creatures dominate blockbusters. Wicked, the film adaptation of the musical, adds Dr. Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage) and Chistery, a winged monkey. Visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman of ILM employed an unconventional approach to bring these characters to life, prioritizing realism and spontaneity.
The Wicked film adaptation introduces digital creatures such as the goat professor Dr. Dillamond and Chistery, rather than the reliance on green screens, Wicked utilized a 15-person "animal unit" that stood in for CGI characters so actors could interact naturally. This approach enhanced timing, emotional responses, and unscripted spontaneity for director Jon M. Chu.
Helman avoided motion capture for the animal characters; instead, animators created their facial expressions. For Dr. Dillamond, they balanced goat anatomy with emotional depth, while Chistery's wing transformation expressed pain and ambiguity without any human reference. Helman, with nearly 30 years of experience, focuses on capturing nuance in CGI. In Wicked, he aimed to create emotionally complex creatures, reflecting moral ambiguity and depth, making them as vital as their human counterparts. “Wicked” has won several awards, including Best Film at the National Board of Review, marking it as a significant contender in the upcoming awards season. A continuation called "Wicked Part Two" is due out on November 21, 2025, and will presumably dive deeper into the complex narrative and character development begun in Part One.
Wicked reimagines the famous Broadway musical with an amazing cast, and CGI technology, exploring the untold story of Oz’s witches, while setting up for a sequel.
Don’t forget to watch it for an unusual experience.
Edited by: Derya Yener, Yağmur Ece Nisanoğlu