Wicked
First half of the Broadway musical about Elphaba becoming the Wicked Witch
The brief
Jon M. Chu turns the first act of Broadway's biggest musical into a sprawling, maximalist spectacle that somehow makes 162 minutes feel earned. Cynthia Erivo commands every frame with a powerhouse voice and raw emotional intensity, while Ariana Grande surprises by fully inhabiting Glinda's privileged bubble-headedness without winking at the camera. The production design is pure eye candy overload, but the pacing knows when to slow down for the quieter character beats that make the friendship feel real. If you're someone who gets chills from big musical numbers and doesn't mind committing to what's essentially a very expensive, very long Part One, this delivers exactly what it promises.
The verdict
If you're a musical theater fan who craves spectacular vocals, lavish production design, and doesn't mind investing nearly three hours in what's essentially an elaborate setup for Part Two, this is a dazzling crowd-pleaser that earns its epic runtime. If you're not already sold on big Broadway adaptations or get impatient with slower character development between the show-stopping numbers, you'll likely find this an overlong commitment that tests your attention span.
Watch with
- 👥 Musical theater fans with stamina for long films
- 👫 Date night for couples who love big productions
- ⚠️ Skip if you dislike musicals or long runtimes
Heads up
- Animal experimentation and harm (moderate)
- Themes of prejudice and discrimination (moderate)
Credits
- Director
- Jon M. Chu
- Cast
- Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Jeff Goldblum
Official synopsis
In the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba is forced to share a room with the popular
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)
Both explore female friendship dynamics within glamorous, competitive environments.
Total runtime: 2h 42m + 2h 0m = 4h 42m
