Wicked
The 2024 film "Wicked: Part One" is a musical fantasy that serves as a prequel to the classic "The Wizard of Oz" story. It delves into the untold origins of Elphaba, a talented but ostracized young woman with green skin who is destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West, and her evolving relationship with the popular and ambitious Galinda, later known as Glinda the Good. Set in the vibrant yet increasingly prejudiced Land of Oz, the movie explores significant themes of identity, societal judgment, and standing up against injustice. The film is the first part of a two-part adaptation, featuring stunning visuals, memorable musical numbers, and compelling performances. While rated PG, it tackles mature thematic material and includes moments of scary action, requiring parental discretion for younger or more sensitive viewers.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe film features significant LGBTQ+ representation through its cast and thematic interpretation. Openly queer actors portray several key characters, and the central friendship between Elphaba and Glinda is widely interpreted as having queer undertones by fan communities. The director and cast have acknowledged Oz as an inherently queer space, aligning with themes of otherness and self-acceptance.
Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) identifies as queer, Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero) is openly gay, and Bowen Yang (Pfannee), Marissa Bode (Nessarose), and Bronwyn James (ShenShen) are also out LGBTQ+ actors in prominent roles. Ariana Grande (Glinda) stated in a GLAAD interview that "Oz is a very queer place" and has always been, even from the L. Frank Baum books. The deep emotional bond between Elphaba and Glinda is widely 'Gelphie' shipped by fans, interpreting a significant queer romantic subtext. Conservative Christian groups have expressed concerns, calling for a boycott due to the film allegedly 'pushing the LGBTQ agenda'.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and magical abilities are a central and prominent theme throughout the film, integral to the narrative and character development. Characters actively engage in spellcasting and interact with magical artifacts.
Elphaba possesses significant magical abilities which she learns to control and enhance through the sacred Grimmerie, a powerful spellbook. A key scene involves Elphaba casting a levitation spell from the Grimmerie, causing the Wizard's monkey guards to painfully sprout wings. Madame Morrible also demonstrates magical control, such as manipulating a rainstorm. The story prominently features witches and spellcasting as core elements.
Violence
MediumThe movie contains moderate fantasy violence and intense action sequences without graphic gore. Depictions include magical chaos, chase scenes, and instances of animal cruelty, which may be distressing for younger viewers.
Flying ape-soldiers pursue Elphaba and Glinda, creating tense chase sequences, with one monkey crashing through a window. Elphaba's magical outbursts inadvertently cause objects to fly, such as rocks towards bullies or benches around Nessarose at Shiz University. The transformation of the Wizard's apes into winged creatures is depicted as a painful process. There are scenes where soldiers carry weapons and guns are drawn.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe film includes brief suggestive material and implied romantic relationships, with sexual content from the original novel significantly toned down. An adult affair is implied at the beginning of the movie.
Early in the film, Elphaba's mother is shown cavorting with a man who is not her husband, implying an affair that leads to Elphaba's birth. Prince Fiyero flirts with various characters, both male and female, displaying 'hip gyrations and winks'. Glinda and Fiyero share a kiss.
Substance Use
MediumThe film includes several instances of implied or depicted substance use, including alcohol consumption and the use of magical substances to induce sleep or with negative health consequences.
Elphaba's mother drinks a 'green liquor' with her lover, which is implied to be part of the circumstances surrounding Elphaba's conception and her green skin. Nurses are shown taking swigs from a bottle after Elphaba's birth. Elphaba uses magically enhanced poppy flowers to cause her classmates to fall asleep. The original book also mentions a drug from 'milkflowers' contributing to Elphaba's mother's death and Nessarose's paraplegia.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe movie contains elements of scary action and intense thematic material, which, while rated PG, could be frightening for younger or sensitive children. These include menacing creatures, jump scares, and emotionally distressing situations.
The film features aggressive flying monkeys that chase characters, including a jump scare when one crashes through a window. There is a threatening storyline where animals are captured and forced to lose their ability to speak, with a lion cub shown threatened and confined in a cage. The painful magical transformation of the Wizard's apes into winged creatures is depicted. The overall depiction of Oz and its denizens can be dark and intense in certain spots.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe narrative prominently features themes of disrespect, ostracism, and rebellion against oppressive authority. Characters experience bullying and challenge established norms and unjust systems.
Elphaba is consistently mocked and bullied for her green skin and unusual appearance by her peers and even experiences rejection from her own father. The story centers on Elphaba's defiance against the manipulative Wizard and Madame Morrible, who are depicted as leaders of an oppressive government. This includes Elphaba seizing the Grimmerie and fleeing from the Wizard after realizing his deception.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film has generated some controversy among conservative Christian groups due to its themes of witchcraft and LGBTQ+ representation, with claims of it promoting an 'LGBTQ agenda.' Its moral framework has been described as 'post-Christian morality' by some Christian reviewers, emphasizing subjective truth over absolute good and evil.
Conservative Christian groups, such as One Million Moms, have called for a boycott of the film, alleging it "promotes witchcraft and pushes the LGBTQ agenda on families". Christian reviewers from The Gospel Coalition describe the film's morality as "post-Christian," suggesting it rejects moral absolutes and portrays heroes and villains as societal constructs rather than inherent truths. While acknowledging positive themes like dignity and fighting for the marginalized, some Christians express concern over the central role of witchcraft and magic.
Profanity
LowThe movie contains very little to no explicit profanity. Instances of mild language and insults are present but do not involve strong curse words.
Sources indicate an absence of profane language, with one example being a character exclaiming 'Get stuffed'. While bullying and insults occur between characters, they do not use adult curse words.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
10+ with Parental Guidance. The film is officially rated PG for "scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material". While generally suitable for a broad audience, its exploration of prejudice, injustice, and some intense fantasy sequences, alongside implied mature themes, warrants parental guidance for children under 10. Some parent reviews suggested a PG-13 rating might be more appropriate given the depth of themes.
Additional Notes
The film "Wicked: Part One" is based on the first act of the Broadway musical, which itself is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire's novel. The novel is notably darker and more explicit than both the musical and the movie, containing themes such as child abuse, sexual scenes, and animal cruelty that were largely toned down or removed for the film adaptation. The movie's color grading is intentionally desaturated in parts to create a more 'real' Oz, which may differ from expectations based on other Oz adaptations. The film's conclusion with 'Defying Gravity' serves as a cliffhanger, leading into 'Wicked: For Good' (Part Two) in November 2025.
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