Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo play Glinda and Elphaba in the new Wicked movie. (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)
Rhett Kaya: From TikTok trends to the latest Taylor Swift album, there is always something CU Boulder students are obsessing over, opinionated about or adding to their vernacular. The Culture Critic will keep you up to date with the latest in entertainment and popular culture through content reviews, analysis and my self-proclaimed professional opinion.
An intense wave of marketing magic has positioned the “Wicked” movie as a must-see for the upcoming holiday season. This green and pink buzz could be attributed to a variety of brand deals ranging from Glinda and Elphaba Stanley Cups to specialty Starbucks drinks; it’s impossible to escape the wonderful world of Oz, similar in scope to the wave of Barbie pink from summer 2023.
So far 2024 has followed a chain of female-led phenomena like the “Barbie” movie and Taylor Swift fever. This year, Chappell Roan, Charli xcx and Sabrina Carpenter have dominated the music scene, while “Challengers,” “Moana 2” and now “Wicked” are taking over the box office. Whether it’s Chappell Roan’s unapologetically queer and theatrical festival performances or a slew of pink and green-themed merchandise, audiences are seeking out content that’s vibrant, fun and female-oriented.
Earlier this year, Paramount released a movie adaptation of “Mean Girls: The Musical” but failed to inform audiences about the film’s very apparent musical elements. This led to an onslaught of critique from misinformed audience members. “Wicked” has taken the opposite approach, embracing its rich musical history and iconic musical numbers, making stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s strong vocal capabilities and perhaps stronger chemistry a touchstone of the film’s press campaign. Considering the cultural relevance of “Defying Gravity” alone, it would be near impossible to swindle audience members into believing a Broadway musical adaptation forgoes the music. But maybe that’s not bad. The “Mean Girls” movie and even 2023’s “Wonka” suffered from backlash as a result of false expectations, not necessarily the music itself. While musicals deter many, they intrigue others — strong momentum might be proof that enough people have an inner theater kid or at least a theater tolerance within them to warrant the film’s massive push from distributor Universal.
While the film has a similar visual appeal to Disney’s blandest live-action remakes, interwoven within the blockbuster are clever creative and promotional victories. Erivo, who plays the green witch Elphaba, has a Tony Award under her belt.
While on the surface, Grande might look like stunt casting, the singer got her start on the silver stage. If her love for musical theater isn’t evident in her multitude of promotional interviews, then her role in NBC’s “Hairspray Live” and her recent Saturday Night Live monologue are proof the artist has the Broadway charm actors like Hugh Jackman, Rachel Zegler and co-star Erivo are known for. Casting surging queer stars like Jonathan Bailey and SNL’s Bowen Yang bolsters appeal to LGBTQ+ audiences, while veteran actors Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum bring credibility and allure to older generations.
While these crucial decisions, like director John M. Chu’s choice to split the musical into two parts, have satisfied musical theater fans, the film’s budget requires mass appeal, and fortunately for the film, it seems like young children love the color green as much as pink. In the past, Hollywood worked on the basis that mass appeal requires mass interest from male audiences, hence the success of films like “Avengers: Endgame” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
“Barbie” and Swift’s “The Era’s Tour” concert film gave studios proof that full-force catering to female audiences can lead to an equal, if not greater. payoff. Putting these films in gendered boxes may feel regressive, but box office demographics support the idea that some films attract certain audiences more than others. If anything, the success of “Barbie” and potentially “Wicked” should be celebratory examples of movie studios willing to gambit female and LGBQ+-oriented blockbusters rather than relegating them to low-budget streaming series or what some call ‘Chick Flicks.’
But within these demographics, why “Wicked?” Twisting the 1990 tale into a two-act musical, then further into a two-part film saga, runs the risk of perplexing audiences into dissuasion. It’s a hard sell on paper, but turning the famous witches into live-action Disney princesses simplifies the project for mass consumption. People like to see themselves on screen, and giving them two options creates the contrast needed to generate conversation, yet the simplicity needed to garner wide interest.
Green witch or pink witch? Good witch or bad witch? Some of the most successful media out there rely on this ability to choose. Elsa or Anna? Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin or Ravenclaw? Taylor Swift has made this her entire brand, making each album release feel like a character release. Resonate with the “Midnights” album? Feel free to purchase all the accommodating accessories on Swift’s merch store. Audiences feel a sense of comfort when given a camp to stay at —something familiar, something that mirrors them. With “Wicked,” not only can audiences choose between two characters who seemingly reflect one of our culture’s broadest forms of categorization: introversion and extroversion, but the opportunity to then buy suitcases, water bottles and specialty popcorn buckets to further cement their choice. It becomes interactive—a lifestyle audiences can engage with for months before and after the film actually releases.
Some might critique the film as another Hollywood cash cow devoid of the artistic excellence that earned it merit on Broadway. But it would be pompous to ignore the excitement of everyone the film is meant to represent: the young children who see themselves in the protagonists, the queer people eager to see a gay actor play the male lead and the fans who lack the opportunity to see the stage play. Commercialization’s effects on consumerism don’t negate the film’s ability to sufficiently garner interest and replicate the magic of one of contemporary theater’s most resonant hits.
You can find tickets for “Wicked” here.
Contact CU Independent Opinion Editor Rhett Kaya at rhett.kaya@colorado.edu.
