--- title: "Wicked" year: 2024 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/wicked" fi1m_id: "wicked" imdb_id: "tt1262426" tmdb_id: 402431 wikidata_id: "Q24797403" fi1m_score: 70 critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 20 published: "2026-09-09" updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:48.726706+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Wicked (2024) Directed by Jon M. Chu · 2h 42m · MPA PG · Drama, Romance, Fantasy ## Identity Wicked - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/wicked - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** wicked - **IMDb ID:** tt1262426 - **TMDB ID:** 402431 - **Wikidata ID:** Q24797403 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262426/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/402431, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q24797403 **Fi1m score: 70** · Critics 75 from 20 reviews *In a sentence:* A green girl, a pink girl, and an Emerald City that looks like it has been left out in the rain > Jon M. Chu’s film of the first half of the stage musical has two leads worth the ticket in Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and songs staged with care. It is also 162 minutes long and the colours look drained. Good, if musicals are yours. ## Synopsis Elphaba is born green, in a land where that is held against her from her first breath. She grows up looking after her younger sister, Nessarose, and goes with her to Shiz University, where the sorcery teacher Madame Morrible notices something in her and where she is made to share a room with Galinda, who is blonde, adored and horrified by the arrangement. A prince called Fiyero arrives and turns every head. A professor who happens to be a goat warns that the animals of Oz are losing their voices. And a summons comes from the Emerald City. Jon M. Chu’s film, from the stage musical and Gregory Maguire’s novel, covers the first half of the story, with Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum. ## Review The stage musical *Wicked* has been running for more than twenty years, and Jon M. Chu’s film is the first half of it, stretched to 162 minutes. The screenplay, by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, works from Holzman’s book for the stage show and, further back, from Gregory Maguire’s novel about the witches of Oz before Dorothy arrived. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is born green and grows up blamed for it. She arrives at Shiz University as her sister’s carer, is spotted by the sorcery teacher Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), and is put in a room with Galinda (Ariana Grande), who is blonde, popular and appalled. The rest is how those two learn to stand each other. It is a good film with two fine performances and about forty minutes it does not need. If you like musicals you will have a good evening. If you do not, nothing here will convert you. Erivo plays Elphaba small. She keeps her chin down and her hands still, and when she sings she barely moves, so the voice seems to come out of her against her will. Grande does the opposite. Galinda is all hair and elbows, and “Popular”, staged in the shared bedroom, is the funniest number we have seen in a film musical for some time, because Grande does the comedy with her whole body and then lands the notes anyway. They are good together. Erivo’s face, when Galinda is kind to her by accident, does more than any of the dialogue. The scene we will remember is not a song at all. At a dance in the Ozdust ballroom, Elphaba turns up in a pointed black hat Galinda gave her as a joke, and everyone laughs, and she dances anyway, alone, with the music stopped. Alice Brooks holds the camera on Erivo and on the faces watching her, and Chu lets the silence run longer than most directors would dare. Then Galinda walks across the floor. We were moved more than we expected to be, and slightly cross about it, because we saw exactly what the scene was doing and it worked anyway. Now the complaint most critics have made, and we share it. Nathan Crowley has built Shiz as a real place, stone and water and a great deal of both, and Paul Tazewell has dressed Galinda in pinks and Elphaba in black and navy so you can find them in any crowd. But Brooks lights nearly everything with a soft, even wash, and the colours come out drained. The Emerald City, when we get there, is a pale grey-green. A film about a girl whose whole life is decided by a colour ought to know what colour looks like. Then there is the length. Myron Kerstein and James Finlan have cut the songs with care; the dance numbers hold on whole bodies rather than chopping at the beat. Between the songs, though, the second hour sits down. Dr Dillamond (voiced by Peter Dinklage), the goat professor whose fellow animals are losing their speech, carries the film’s politics, Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero arrives with real charm, Marissa Bode’s Nessarose and Ethan Slater’s Boq have a strand of their own, and all of it takes longer than it should. By the second hour we were tired, and then we were annoyed at being tired, because the material is not slow on stage. Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard turns up late and does what Jeff Goldblum does. John Powell’s arrangements of Stephen Schwartz’s songs are large without being loud, and the singing was done live, which you can hear in the breaths. The finale is the song everyone knows, and we will not describe how it is staged beyond saying that it earns its size. Chu made *In the Heights* in 2021, a film that moved fast and knew where its heart was. This one is bigger and slower and much more careful, and the care shows in the good scenes and in the padding alike. It is a PG. Children who know the songs will sit through all of it happily. Adults who do not should be warned that it stops rather than ends, and that the second half is another film. *Fi1m score 70, published 9 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like it, and the praise lands in one place: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The reviews return again and again to the two leads, their chemistry, their live vocals and the staging of Defying Gravity in particular, with Erivo’s Elphaba most often singled out as the film’s strongest draw. Jon M. Chu’s scale and spectacle earn broad approval, and several critics say the film gives the songs room the stage could not. The reservations cluster on length and pacing. Even warm reviews call it bloated, and a few find Chu’s restless style leaves little room to take anything in. A smaller group, including The AV Club and Little White Lies, dislikes the muted, washed-out colour palette. The spread is wide: The Playlist awards top marks, while /Film alone dismisses it as a long, busy mess whose leads lack personality, a complaint almost nobody else shares. ## Straight answers **Is Wicked worth watching?** *Wicked* is worth watching if musicals are yours, and we scored it 70. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are both worth the ticket, and the Ozdust ballroom scene moved us more than we expected. Against that, it runs 162 minutes for half a story, the second hour sags, and the colours look drained. **How long is Wicked, and what is it rated?** *Wicked* runs 2h 42m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and romance film. **Where can I watch Wicked in the US?** *Wicked* is streaming on Peacock, The Roku Channel and Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. It leaves Peacock on 21 September. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Wicked compare to The Wizard of Oz?** *Wicked* tells the story of the witches before Dorothy arrives, so it sits beside [*The Wizard of Oz*](https://film.one/film/the-wizard-of-oz) as a prequel that argues with it. The 1939 film is the tighter and the better of the two, and it knows what green looks like; the newer one is longer, paler and stops rather than ends. Families who know the songs will enjoy both. **Is Wicked based on a true story or a book?** *Wicked* is not a true story: it is adapted from the stage musical, which in turn came from Gregory Maguire's novel about the witches of Oz before Dorothy. The film covers only the first half of the show, with a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. Knowing the book is not needed; knowing the songs helps with the length. **What should I watch after Wicked?** After *Wicked*, try [*The Wizard of Oz*](https://film.one/film/the-wizard-of-oz) (1939, Fi1m 91): The film this one is quarrelling with, and still the one that knows what green is. Then [*The Red Shoes*](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes) (1948, Fi1m 92): Powell and Pressburger show what colour and dance can do when nobody dims the lights; and [*The Umbrellas of Cherbourg*](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg) (1964, Fi1m 88): Every line sung, every wall painted, and it is over in ninety minutes. ### Reviews we read (26) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (90/100, inferred): Peter Debruge declares it the year's must-see musical, praising Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's iconic, emotionally nuanced turns as rival divas and the film's timely critique of division and authoritarianism, while celebrating Chu's gloriously overstuffed maximalist style. [Read](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/wicked-review-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-1236214272/) - **Total Film**, Fay Watson (85/100, inferred): Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo deliver performances that will have audiences defying gravity in this adaptation; the review highlights their chemistry and the film's appeal. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/musicals/wicked-part-one-review/) - **Little White Lies**, Fatima Sheriff (3/4/4): Praises the chemistry between Grande and Erivo, the spectacle, choreography, and emotional depth in musical numbers, but criticizes the washed-out CGI aesthetic. Verdict is largely positive with much to love. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/wicked) - **The Guardian**, Wendy Ide (80/100, inferred): The stars enchant as young rival witches in Jon M Chu’s impossibly slick first instalment of his two-part adaptation. Driven by knockout performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film matches its polished razzle-dazzle with real heart and delivers depth alongside the escapism. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/nov/24/wicked-the-film-review-cynthia-erivo-and-ariana-grande-jon-m-chu-part-one-1) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the strong performances by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and the vibrant world-building, calling it a sparkling screen transition that delivers for fans. They single out the casting and live vocals for praise. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wicked-review-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-1236062372/) - **The i Paper**, Francesca Steele (80/100, inferred): The film is a candy-coloured fantastical treat carried by the phenomenal talents of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, with strong comic timing, vocal performances, and a focus on the leads' friendship and character development; it runs a bit long but ends powerfully. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/ariana-grande-wicked-review-3388833) - **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (80/100, inferred): The review highlights the vibrant energy, sincerity, and powerhouse performances by Erivo and Grande, especially in songs like Defying Gravity. Positive on the adaptation delighting fans. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/wicked-2024) - **Evening Standard**, Nick Curtis (3/4): Jon M. Chu’s lavish adaptation is visually ravishing and showcases the vocal and acting talents of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, but it suffers from bloat, excessive length, and pacing issues that make even superfans wish for a quicker pace. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/wicked-review-will-cast-a-spell-but-could-have-done-with-a-bit-more-va-va-broom-b1194994.html) - **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (B-): The critic notes strong leads and agile musical numbers but complains about the drab, muted color palette and overly faithful, sprawling adaptation. Singles out the visual style for complaint. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/wicked-review) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (65/100, inferred): The critic finds Cynthia Erivo the strongest draw in this splashy, overly long first installment of the Broadway adaptation, praising her showstopping performance and the deepening chemistry with Ariana Grande while noting the director's restless maximalism leaves little room to savor details. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/21/movies/wicked-review.html) - **The New Yorker**, Justin Chang (60/100, inferred): Justin Chang describes the film as a nostalgic, half-satisfying spectacle that doubles down on blockbuster excess, praising Erivo's magnetic performance as Elphaba while noting the narrative clutter and obvious political parable undercut some of its impact. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/12/02/wicked-movie-review-gladiator) - **Vulture** (60/100, inferred): The film is enchanting yet exhausting, faithful but wearying in its spectacle; praises the dance scene and leads' performances but notes it drags and lacks depth. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-wicked-is-as-enchanting-as-it-is-exhausting.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (55/100, inferred): The review calls the massive adaptation a faithful but uneven effort that delights fans with its reverence for the stage show and strong lead performances, yet criticizes the pacing, underbaked motivations, and lack of visual imagination that prevent it from fully soaring. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-11-19/wicked-review-part-i-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-john-chu-musical) - **Empire**, Helen O'Hara: Chu turns the stage show into a movie epic with spectacle, VFX, and strong casting; Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande deliver layered, complex performances with astonishing vocals, making the long runtime pass quickly despite some relentless moments. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wicked/) - **Sight and Sound**: The critic praises the film's spectacle, strong vocal performances by Erivo and Grande, and cinematic adaptations of the musical numbers, but notes some dated elements and an anaemic color palette. Overall positive verdict on the adaptation being superior to the stage version. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/wicked-theres-room-broom-this-dizzying-movie-musical) - **The Times** (★★★★☆): Cynthia Erivo turns a Broadway hit into cinematic gold and transforms Elphaba into a character of uncommon depth. The film is a worthy successor to The Wizard of Oz with standout performances and strong staging of key musical numbers. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/wicked-review-movie-ariana-grande-cynthia-arivo-b96ctv3tl) - **The Playlist**, Manuel Betancourt (A): The critic calls it a triumph and all-around delight, praising the dazzling performances by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the dynamic musical numbers, and how it captures the magic of the stage musical on screen with fresh takes. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/wicked-review-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-dazzle-in-john-m-chus-triumphant-musical-20241119/) - **Collider**, Jeff Ewing (9/10): The critic praises Jon M. Chu's majestic musical adaptation for its stunning scale, vibrant worldbuilding, and powerful central performances, especially Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda. Minor issues noted with sound mixing and some shot choices in dance numbers. [Read](https://collider.com/wicked-movie-review/) - **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a mesmerising adaptation justified by its length, highlighting the incredible central performances by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and the inventive musical numbers. They single out Erivo's soulful portrayal and vocal performance in "Defying Gravity" for special praise. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/wicked-review-a-spellbinding-musical-adaptation/) - **Polygon**, Petrana Radulovic (85/100, inferred): Wicked is celebrated as a movie musical made unapologetically for fans of the genre, with excellent singing and chemistry from the cast (especially Ariana Grande), detailed and functional worldbuilding, and meaningful use of film's close-ups and expansions on the stage material. It honors the source while feeling like a love letter to musical theater. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/review/481398/wicked-movie-review-musical/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The adaptation expands the story with novel elements and cinematic ambition but remains emotionally and audibly breathtaking thanks to powerhouse performances by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. It is only half the musical, leading to some padding, yet the spectacular climax soars. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/wicked-review-epic-musical/) - **NME**, Nick Levine (4/5): Chu’s adaptation is a dizzying delight that should please fans and newcomers alike, with Erivo and Grande delivering vocally extraordinary performances and crackling chemistry. The film flags a little in the middle of its lengthy runtime but ends on an enchanting note full of empathy for outsiders. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/wicked-movie-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-3814095) - **/Film**, Witney Seibold (4/10): The critic finds it a long, ineffectual, busy, mushy mess lacking personality in the leads and genuine whimsy, criticizing the overlong runtime and overdesigned visuals while noting the plot feels played out. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1713820/wicked-movie-review/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond: The Broadway musical adaptation soars cinematically and exceeds expectations as one of the best movie musicals. Director Jon M. Chu enhances the stage magic into pure movie magic, with standout performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. [Read](https://deadline.com/2024/11/wicked-review-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-movie-musical-adaptation-1236181476/) - **Paste**, Jason Gorber (8.5): Chu's film succeeds extraordinarily well with its timely universal story, expanded narrative elements, captivating ensemble performances, and grand theatrical scope translated to screen. It is one of the great musical movies of any age, defying high expectations. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/wicked/wicked-review-cynthia-erivo-ariana-grande-singing-performance-sequel-second-half-jon-chu-wizard-of-oz) - **The Wrap**: The first half of the adaptation defies the odds with strong storytelling, characters, music and dancing. It is a bright and colorful whirlwind that mostly succeeds despite some inconsistent visual effects and supporting cast limitations. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/wicked-review-ariana-grande-cynthia-erivo-universal/) ## Details - **Director:** Jon M. Chu - **Director:** Jon M. Chu - **Screenplay:** Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox - **Novel:** Gregory Maguire - **Cinematography:** Alice Brooks - **Editor:** Myron Kerstein, James Finlan - **Music:** Stephen Schwartz, John Powell - **Production design:** Nathan Crowley - **Costume design:** Paul Tazewell - **Producer:** Marc Platt, David Stone - **Cast:** Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba; Ariana Grande as Galinda / Glinda; Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero; Ethan Slater as Boq; Marissa Bode as Nessarose; Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond (voice) - **Runtime:** 2h 42m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 22 November 2024 - **Genres:** Drama, Romance, Fantasy - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2024); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2024) - **Budget:** $150 million - **Box office:** $764 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqi45Qhq3CI ## Where to watch in the US - Peacock: streaming, uhd, leaving 2026-09-21 - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd, leaving 2026-09-21 - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-10.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2025: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (won) ## If you liked this - *The Wizard of Oz* (1939), Fi1m 91: The film this one is quarrelling with, and still the one that knows what green is. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wizard-of-oz.md) - *The Red Shoes* (1948), Fi1m 92: Powell and Pressburger show what colour and dance can do when nobody dims the lights. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-red-shoes.md) - *The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* (1964), Fi1m 88: Every line sung, every wall painted, and it is over in ninety minutes. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg.md) - *Return to Oz* (1985): The strange, frightening Oz film for children who found the original too cheerful. - *In the Heights* (2021): Chu’s earlier musical, lighter on its feet and warmer in its colours. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/wicked