In a world where movie musicals struggle to capture the magic of their stage counterparts, Wicked, directed by Jon Chu, was released on November 22, 2024. The immediately successful movie is about the untold story of the witches of Oz. Since the beloved 2008 Mamma Mia!, no other movie musical has caught the attention of students quite like Wicked.
“Wicked is definitely the best musical-to-movie adaptation I’ve seen since Mamma Mia” Eden Rhoades (11) said.
Part of the reason why Wicked is one of the best musical-to movie adaptations is the intricate and eye-catching choreography by Christopher Scott. Different bits of choreography from the featured song, “What is this Feeling”, have become a trend on TikTok, with millions doing the dances.
“I am just overwhelmed with joy after seeing Wicked,” Sofia Ulloa (11) said. “Mostly because I love the dancing in it so much.”
Another aspect of why Wicked is popular is the talented cast. Every actor casted was well thought out by Director Jon Chu and are said to fit each role perfectly. Each actor did their own stunts and were dedicated to their role. Junior Elena Ginie explains why she thinks Ariana Grande, who portrays the character Glinda, is perfect for this part.
“I just think Ariana’s singing voice was so beautiful in this movie and I really think her high notes stand out from the rest.” Ginie said.
In total, $145 million was used to make this movie. Most of this money was used to make actual sets instead of using a green screen. This makes Wicked stick out from other musicals, because most use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to bring magic to the screen.
“Wicked is the best musical to movie adaptation I’ve seen mainly because of the real life images and sets that were used to make this movie” Ginie said. “The minimum amount of CGI was used to make Wicked.”
Wicked is also said to be better than the original Broadway version. Junior Bryn Coker explains why she thinks the movie tops the on-stage version.
“The movie was more elaborate because the Broadway version is three hours and just part one of the movie is three hours in itself,” Coker said.
Overall, Wicked is the best musical movie this generation has seen since Mamma Mia because of the choreography, casting and sets. This has students in anticipation for part two to come out next year.
“Wicked doesn’t compare to any other musical I’ve seen and I can’t wait for part two.” Sofia Ulloa (11) said.
