In the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda at Shiz University, and the two's unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Acting
Erivo's Elphaba is a masterclass in controlled rage becoming power.
Direction
Chu finally makes a movie BIG enough for his ambitions.
Production
Practical sets that look EXPENSIVE in the best way.
Director
Jon M. Chu
Cynthia Erivo
Elphaba
Ariana Grande
Galinda / Glinda
Michelle Yeoh
Madame Morrible
Jonathan Bailey
Fiyero
Ethan Slater
Boq
Marissa Bode
Nessarose
Jeff Goldblum
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Peter Dinklage
Dr. Dillamond (voice)
Andy Nyman
Governor Thropp
Courtney-Mae Briggs
Mrs. Thropp
Bowen Yang
Pfannee
Bronwyn James
Shenshen
Aaron Teoh
Avaric
Shaun Prendergast
Shiz President
Keala Settle
Miss Coddle
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ariana Grande trained for 18 months and insisted on doing all her own singing live on set, a rarity for modern movie musicals.
The 2003 Broadway show was already a queer allegory, but Chu's film leans harder into Elphaba and Glinda's romantic subtext—testing how 'family-friendly' studios handle sapphic coding.
US
