Wicked film and musical differences

Unless you’ve been kept in a poppy induced slumber, you will know that this year belongs to Wicked. Nothing has escaped the film's magical touch, with Robinsons squash, Crocs, Build-A-Bear, Absolut Vodka, Hilton Hotels, Lush and even Walmart’s Macaroni and Cheese all getting the pink and green makeover. 

The record-breaking film has already taken a whopping $373 million worldwide. Though it is hardly surprising when you know that the 2003 Broadway stage musical it’s based on has already achieved long-running success in America, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and the UK. The West End production is currently theatrelands 10th longest running show. And with millions of theatregoers flocking to the Victoria Apollo each year, you don’t have to be a gifted green girl to know that the musical has a shining and successful future. 

Directed by Jon M. Chu, the 2024 film introduces the iconic story to an entirely new audience. But how does the movie compare to the stage show? From subtle differences in the plot to the grand transformations of the characters, here are some fun facts and key distinctions between Wicked the musical and the Wicked film.

A very popular song gets a new makeover 

Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, has given one of the musicals much-loved songs a makeover. The film adaptation of “Popular” includes a longer ending that utilises key changes which better showcases Ariana Grande's (Glinda) soprano range.

The new arrangement was made specifically for the film, but Schwartz has stated that he prefers this arrangement to the original, and would like to permanently incorporate it into the stage show itself. Well, the current version is so 2003, and we know that Glinda wouldn’t want to be associated with something that is out of date…

And the songs aren’t the only ones with a new look

You won’t see any goggles, cog covered set pieces or a truckload of top hats in the film, but you may spot the Time Dragon Clock if you pay close attention. The musical's iconic steampunk aesthetic doesn’t make it to the screen, but did you know why the land of Oz resembles a fantasy Camden Market on stage?

When the show began production over two decades ago, they were told in no uncertain terms by Warner Bros that they were not allowed to reference any visual element from The Wizard of Oz film. That's why you won’t see any sparkly red shoes, bubble dresses, or Dorothy and Toto on the London stage. They only had the rights to Gregory Maguire's Wicked novel and L. Frank Baum’s Oz series, and that was only because both of these materials were in the public domain.

It looks like The Wizard rummaged in his bag and gave the film company a change of heart (or they looked at the record-breaking award-winning musicals history, and realised it may be a good thing to be associated with it…), as the 2024 movie is packed full of Easter eggs relating to the 1939 film. Glinda throws new BFF Elphaba a pair of ruby slippers in “Popular”, the yellow brick road has its own origin story in the form of a diorama, Ariana Grande’s Glinda arrives onto the screen dressed in a pink bubble gown, and Elphaba and Fiyero are seen riding bikes that look very similar to Ms. Gulch’s model. We even get a glimpse of a gingham clad girl and her gang. Oh my!

Elphaba the great and even more powerful

Now let's be as clear as Glinda’s favourite mode of transportation, Elphaba is no trainee witch in the musical. She showcases her magical abilities throughout the production. Using telekinesis to help rescue a baby lion cub, and the ability to read the spells in the Grimmerie, she is more than a match for The Wizard. 

The film elevates Elphie’s powers. She can still move objects with her mind, and can blitz through the Grimmerie as if it was Richard Osmans latest best-seller, but now she can also see (briefly and sporadically) into the future, and can fly on her own - though she hasn’t relegated the broom to the cleaning cupboard just yet. 

You wood not believe how Fiyero and Elphaba meet

In the musical, Fiyero and Elphaba meet on the first day of Shiz when the Prince’s rickshaw almost runs over the young sorceress. In response to the almost-crash, and to the amusement of their fellow classmates, the rebel royal exclaims “maybe the driver saw green and thought it meant go.”

Fiyero’s entrance in the film is much more charming. The prince slowly trots through the woodland on a talking horse (very mindful, very demure) and stumbles into Elphaba. He apologises for not seeing her “you must have blended in with the foliage” (we’re going to pretend this was a compliment, and that he was comparing her to the beauty of nature here.) Without an admiring audience, Fiyero is more human and less performative, he quickly offers Elphaba a ride back to uni. However, in a brief nod to the prince's destiny, his classmate demands that he “gets stuffed." Well, the course of true love never did run smooth…