‘Wicked’ Is A Hypnotizing Spectacle Full of Music and Complexity

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures.

Wicked released in theaters on November 22, 2024. It tells the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) who forges an unlikely friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande), a student who wants to be popular. After Elphaba and Glinda meet the Wizard of Oz, they begin to realize there are other paths they can take. Let’s get into this.

I’ve never been a huge musical fan, ironically I love Disney films like Beauty and the Beast and Tangled, but other movie musicals have never called out to me until this film came out towards the end of last year. I kept hearing such incredible things about it, so I kept it on my radar. Then, I met my boyfriend who’s a huge musical nerd and he told me how great this film is.

My mom and I decided to buy a subscription to Peacock because it’s the only place where the film is streaming. I can tell you I understand the hype now that I watched it.

I want to start with the acting performances because they were the beating heart of this film, and I’m talking about Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Erivo perfectly captured Elphaba’s journey to accepting herself and embracing who she’s meant to be. Grande’s comedic chops were executed so well through Glinda, and I couldn’t get over how she embodied her spirit and her character overall. Jonathan Bailey was very charming as Fiyero. I couldn’t take my eyes off him when he was on screen.

As an artistic soul, I have to talk about the production design, costume design, and visual effects. The production design was astounding. I can’t imagine what this was like to watch this in 3D because it was so immersive in 2D. The costume design was whimsical and unique to each character. The visual effects were great and didn’t feel like effects.

The fact that Erivo and Grande sang live in this is a testament to how genuinely talented they are. The songs were so good. The choreography was so fun and fresh.

I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to these characters in Wicked: For Good, which releases in theaters on November 21, 2025.

Wicked is now streaming on Peacock.

Director: Jon M. Chu

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

Producers: Mark Platt, David Stone