In September 2006, Wicked debuted at London’s Apollo Victoria, having transferred from Broadway. A few months shy of an auspicious 20-year anniversary it hits Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD digital download, having been nominated for 10 Oscars and walked away with two. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Wicked was either going to go large or go home. With Oscar-winning production design from Nathan Crowley, who brings his experience from Christopher Nolan to bear, Oz is recreated from the ground up in sumptuous detail. This origin story is not only lifted straight from the stage version, but showcases Ariana Grande as Galinda, a white witch in waiting. Giving the chart-topping singer-songwriter every chance to indulge her extroverted side and embrace some heartfelt compositions.
With an opening that tips a hat to the original, before backtracking to a time when wicked witches from the west were unheard of, this musical hits the ground running. Cynthia Erivo, who some may remember from the slave drama Harriet, takes the iconic role of Elphaba and makes it her own. Bright green from head to toe and perpetually put upon by an overbearing father, she finds herself enrolled alongside her sister at Shiz University. Adapted from the book by Gregory McGuire, which was a darker interpretation of the original sourced material from L. Frank Baum, Wicked is a living breathing entity. Marketed as part one of two and running for over two and a half hours, this musical leaves no stone unturned.
Image via Universal Pictures
With a cavalcade of co-stars including Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh, director Jon M. Chu lets every ounce of that Wizard of Oz magic influence his vision. Although the underdog story of Elphaba comes with an undeniable darkness attached, Cynthia Erivo makes sure to shade her creation with ample amounts of light. Insecure, uncertain, but in possession of an untapped power, Elphaba is a true force of nature. In opposition to that natural timidity, Ariana Grande goes full tilt diva. All show and no substance she might be with more than a splash of entitled ingenue, but Grande still elicits empathy and manages to steal several scenes. A natural performer and underrated actor with a perfect understanding of her role, Galinda evolves from a poor little rich girl into someone with acres of empathy.
Other performances worthy of a mention include Jonathan Bailey’s scenery chewing Fiyero, who feels like a live action Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. A charmer, a crooner, and easy on eye, Bailey more than holds his own against Grande in their musical numbers. By comparison, the usually flamboyant Jeff Goldblum feels toned down a touch as the great and powerful Oz. However, there is no denying the opulence of this big screen adaptation, or how impressive these ensemble players are at bringing it all together. By any measure of the imagination Wicked is a feat of movie making magic, that deserves to be seen on the largest screen possible. It might be a touch too long, but with part two in post-production and two Oscars on the shelf, audiences will be eager to find out how this classic tale concludes. In the meantime, watch Wicked in any way you can, because musicals of this calibre come along all too rarely.
Wicked is available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-Ray™ and DVD now.