As the end-of-year holidays approach, Universal is promising a wonderful gift for musical theater fans. Twenty-one years after the premiere of Wicked on Broadway, the musical arrives (finally) in theaters. After more than a decade of development and several postponements, some had almost given up hope. But that’s it, Wicked is released in French cinemas this Wednesday, December 4, 2024.
It is indisputable: Wicked is one of the most anticipated films at the end of the year. Universal saw the big picture with an ambitious promotional campaign and a huge marketing budget. Unless you live in a cave, you must have heard of Wicked. If the feature film takes us into the world of Wizard of Ozis he Really necessary to do some homework before your cinema session?
What is the connection between The Wizard of Oz and Wicked?
First of all, it’s time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Wicked And The Wizard of Oz are closely related. Let’s take stock quickly.
In 1900, the novel The Wizard of Oz is a huge success with young readers and becomes a great classic of children’s literature in the English-speaking world. At our place, Alice in Wonderland is more successful. The fact remains that The Wizard of Oz rocked the childhood of many individuals. It is therefore logical that MGM adapted it for the cinema in 1939. The adventures of young Dorothy and her dog Toto in the colorful and fantastic land of Oz are famous. Today, the film directed by Victor Fleming is considered a classic and there are countless references in pop culture.
For those who don’t have the basics, The Wizard of Oz invites us to follow the orphan Dorothy, accompanied by her dog Toto, to the wonderful Land of Oz after her house is swept away by a tornado. To return home, the Good Witch of the South tells her that she must follow the yellow brick path to the palace of the mysterious (and beloved) Wizard of Oz. But the Wicked Witch of the West is angry with him: by crashing, his house killed his sister, the Wicked Witch of the East. In the direction of the Emerald City, where the Wizard of Oz resides, Dorothy will encounter a brainless scarecrow, a heartless tin man and a lion who lacks courage. Together, they embark on a wonderful adventure.
Almost a century later, author Gregory Maguire imagines the past of the Wicked Witch of the West but also that of the Good Witch of the South, before Dorothy arrives in the Land of Oz. And it was this novel that gave birth to the musical Wickedin 2003. On the Broadway stages, the success was phenomenal. In the United States alone, Wicked raised more than $1.6 billion. It is the second highest-grossing musical, just behind The Lion King. Currently, the musical is still performed in New York and even London.
So, Wicked explores the journey of two legendary witches of Oz. They met on the benches of Shiz University, years before the events of Wizard of Oz. One is beautiful, popular and privileged. The other is misunderstood and regularly mocked because of the color of her green skin. Although they have absolutely nothing in common, at first glance, the two young women will nevertheless form a deep friendship… Until destiny decides otherwise. How did Elphaba become the Wicked Witch of the West? And how did Glinda become the Good Witch of the South?
Do you really need to see The Wizard of Oz before Wicked?
The Wizard of Oz is inseparable from Wicked. But is it really necessary to watch the 1939 film before discovering the adaptation of the famous musical? Let us first clarify that Wicked is divided into two parts and that the second film will be released around the same time next year. This is not unreasonable: the musical is made up of two acts.
Watch the first film Wicked without having seen The Wizard of Oz is entirely possible and you won’t be completely lost. However, we still advise you to watch the classic worn by Judy Garland. This will allow you to have all the references skillfully distilled into Wicked and enjoy the musical feature film even more.
On the other hand, it is wise to see The Wizard of Oz before the release of the second part of Wicked. Without spoiling it, just know that Dorothy’s companions in the 1939 film will be there. So you absolutely need to know their story if you want to understand everything when the second opus comes out next year.
But in our opinion, you have every interest in seeing and reviewing The Wizard of Oz to have all the keys in hand for Wicked…Whether it’s part 1 or part 2. Especially since the feature film is available on MAX. It would be a shame not to treat yourself to a little catch-up session.
