The musical Wicked serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, but the 2024 movie adaptation doubles as an homage to the 1939 classic with several carefully placed Easter eggs. Of course, with an overlapping setting and characters, there are many overt features of The Wizard of Oz in the new on-screen adaptation. The Wicked Witch, her green skin and pointed hat, as well as her powers and melty fate, are, of course, at the center of Wicked, along with Glinda the Good, the Wizard of Oz himself, and more. However, the musical adaptation managed to hide far more stealthy references here and there.
The 1939 The Wizard of Oz movie was groundbreaking for its time and is still remembered as a significant milestone in Hollywood magic today. It has long served as the nostalgic foundation for the stage musical Wicked, which is a prequel in its first act while the second features Dorothy’s story but from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked: Part 1 (2024) adapts the prequel portion of the story to the screen, allowing audiences to see what was happening in Oz before Dorothy’s arrival to Oz. Still, the features of The Wizard of Oz play an important role.
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Wicked’s Intro Goes From Black And White To Color
The Opening Screen Is An Homage To 1939’s The Wizard Of Oz
Wicked kicks off with a meaningful reference to The Wizard of Oz. The intro, featuring the iconic Universal globe, appears first in black and white before transitioning to color. This is a subtle homage to the marvelous transformation at the beginning of the 1939 movie, when Dorothy arrives in Oz, and the entire film switches from traditional black and white to technicolor.
The Wizard of Oz is famously the first full-length feature film to use technicolor, and it ingeniously incorporated this into the story. Dorothy’s “real” world at home was all shades of black and grey, but the moment she stepped out of her newly landed home into Oz, the screen was lit with color.
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Dorothy, The Scarecrow, The Tinman, and The Lion Walking Down The Yellow Brick Road
The Heroes Of The Wizard Of Oz Returning To The Emerald City
The Wicked movie took a unique approach to the start of the musical, featuring Elphaba’s pointed hat soaking in a puddle of water on the floor of her tower. From there, the camera carried audiences across Oz and the yellow brick road to Munchkinland, where Glinda the Good would share the good news about the Witch’s death.
Dorothy is never shown in the Wicked musical, but the 2024 movie has made a change.
During this transition, there was much to see, including many familiar Ozian sights. Still, the standout feature was Dorothy and her companions, the Scarecrow, Tinman, and Cowardly Lion, walking back up the road to Emerald City.
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The Subtle Tune Of “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead”
The Music Of Wicked Has Easter Eggs Too
The first musical number of Wicked, “No One Mourns The Wicked,” sees the citizens of Munchkinland celebrate the Wicked Witch’s death. The movie version of this song has an extended intro, during which the melody from “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” can briefly be heard (at the song’s one-minute mark).
“Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” is the song by the Muchkinlanders in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz after Dorothy’s house crushed the Wicked Witch of the East, Elphaba’s sister. Though this song isn’t featured fully in Wicked, the on-screen adaptation’s tribute to the classic is an excellent touch.
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The Font On The Wicked Witch Posters Is The Same As The Wizard Of Oz 1939 Poster
The Style Of Wicked’s Wanted Posters Looked Familiar
There is a great deal of detail in the Wicked movie’s version of Munchkinland. It truly looks like a fully inhabited community, and it’s full of signs that the Muchkinlanders have been living in fear of the Wicked Witch for quite some time. The primary indicators of this are the various posters and signs warning residents of the Witch and declaring her “Wanted.”
These posters have an unmistakable vintage flair to them.
These posters have an unmistakable vintage flair to them. The Wicked Witch’s face looks nothing like Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba, instead featuring the exaggerated features of the evil witch in The Wizard of Oz. Then, even more notably, the font of these posters is identical to the classic 1939 movie posters, which has since become immediately associated with the world of Oz.
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The Yellow Brick Road “Swirl”
Munchkinland’s Familiar Center Is Featured In Wicked
In The Wizard of Oz, the yellow brick road forms a swirl at the center of Munchkinland, and this is where Dorothy starts her journey, whirling around as she follows Glinda’s directions to “follow the yellow brick road!” This lollipop-like swirl is another memorable feature of the 1939 classic.
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Though it looks a little different, the Wicked movie incorporated this yellow swirl at the center of Munchkinland, where Glinda sings “No One Mourns the Wicked” and sets flame to the massive straw figure of Elphaba.
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The Subtle Tune Of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
The Wicked Movie Took Stephen Schwartz’s Easter Eggs Even Further
Perhaps the most iconic song of The Wizard of Oz is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” forever remembered as one of Judy Garland’s most bittersweet tunes. Like all the musical numbers from the 1939 movie, it couldn’t be included outright in the Wicked musical. However, the familiar melody was still utilized throughout the score.
Stephen Schwartz famously included “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” here and there throughout the Wicked soundtrack, but the movie had an opportunity to take this even further. Unlike the stage production, spoken dialogue is almost always accompanied by background music in the film, which mixes various tunes from the Broadway show with those familiar “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” notes. Those who pay attention can catch them spread throughout the movie’s entirety.
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“Gulch” Is Named Dropped
A Slight Shoutout To The Original Witch
During one of the early scenes of Elphaba’s arrival at Shiz, she meets the befuddled and anxious school administrator, Miss Cottle. Though Elphaba is not originally meant to be attending the school and is simply there to drop off her sister, her sudden display of magic secures her an invitation, much to the panic of Miss Cottle.
Clearly thrown off by the sudden wrinkle in her carefully constructed plan for new students, Miss Cottle attempts to brush the inconvenience aside by saying, “Not to fret – just a slight gulch!” While it might initially seem like a strange use of words in this magic work, “gulch” is actually meant to be a nod to the character Almira Gulch, the villainous woman Dorothy encounters in Kansas and becomes The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.
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The Red Shoes Galinda Gives Elphaba
Galinda Brings Her Own Ruby Slippers To Shiz
Wicked: Part 1 already laid the groundwork for Nessa’s ruby slippers, which Dorothy eventually takes after she drops a house on the Wicked Witch of the East (prompting Elphaba to take revenge). However, the 2024 movie found another way to incorporate these classic shoes.
During Ariana Grande’s performance in “Popular,” her character hands Elphaba a pair of red glittery heels, which look remarkably similar to Judy Garland’s shoes in The Wizard of Oz. Though the real ruby slippers won’t be revealed until Wicked: Part 2, this was a fun nod to the familiar feature of the 1939 movie.
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Nessa’s Striped Socks
A Hint Of Her Fate To Come
While Nessa is seen as a kind and sympathetic character in Wicked: Part 1, given the events of The Wizard of Oz, fans already know the fate that will eventually befall her. Like her sister, she will eventually be dubbed a “Wicked Witch” as well — becoming the Wicked Witch of the East. This will lead to her being killed when Dorothy’s house lands on her, much to the celebration of the people of Oz.
However, Wicked already hinted at Nessa’s demise in a very subtle way. When seen at the dance, Nessa is wearing a pair of striped socks. While the Wicked Witch of the East is never fully seen in The Wizard of Oz, the memorable image of her feet sticking out from under Dorothy’s house shows that she is wearing very similar striped socks.
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Elphaba’s Song Nods To “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
“The Wizard And I” References The Classic Song
One of the early memorable songs from Wicked that allows the movie to explore the character of Elphaba is “The Wizard and I.” While it is a song that speaks to her journey as the main character of this story, there are also several references to the famous song sung by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.
One of the most noticeable visual nods comes as Elphaba is running through the field and jumps with a rainbow in the sky behind her. It is a clear nod to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” as is the brief image of blue birds during the song which is a nod to the lyrics “If happy little bluebirds fly / Beyond the rainbow / Why, oh why can’t I?” It’s a perfect nod to what came before it and pays homage for anyone who paid attention.
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The Poppies Making Everyone Sleep
Elphaba Discovered The Usefulness Of Poppies In Wicked
In the Wicked musical, Elphaba uses her powers to make her classmates dance around wildly so that she can help the lion cub escape from its cage (with Fiyero’s help). However, in the Wicked movie, Elphaba causes a bouquet of poppy flowers—Dr. Dillamond’s favorite—to put everyone asleep. It’s an elegant change and one that clearly takes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz.
As Dorothy and her companions ran through the flowers, they became sleepy and had to lay down to rest.
In the 1939 movie, the Wicked Witch of the West takes advantage of the field of poppies surrounding the Emerald City. As Dorothy and her companions ran through the flowers, they became sleepy and had to lay down to rest. Universal’s Wicked seems to be suggesting that the witch later got this idea from her experience at Shiz.
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Foreshadowing Tinman And Scarecrow
The Fates Of Boq And Fiyero Are Hinted At
While Elphaba and Glinda are prominently featured in the lead roles, there are other characters from Wicked who will go on to play parts in The Wizard of Oz story. Fans of the source material already know what becomes of both Boq and Fiyero, which is sure to happen in Wicked: For Good. However, Wicked already made some clever nods to this eventual outcome.
At one point, Boq refers to himself as someone who “cries a lot,” which is a reference to his future as the Tinman, who is introduced as all rusted out from crying too much. Likewise, a simple line of dialogue hints at Fiyero’s future as Scarecrow as Elphaba tells him to “get stuffed” in a cheeky bit of foreshadowing. Fiyero also does a dance during “Dancing Through Life” that evokes the movements of the Scarecrow in the 1939 film.
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Bikes With Baskets
Elphaba & Fiyero Escaped On Familiar Bicycles
After stealing the lion cub in the Wicked movie, Elphaba and Fiyero escape into the forest on bicycles. Though pretty standard bikes, the baskets mounted to the front and back made these escape vehicles somewhat familiar. They are precisely like the one Miss Gulch rode in The Wizard of Oz.
Elphaba and Fiyero place the lion cub in the basket of one of these bicycles, just as Miss Gulch placed Toto in the basket of her bike when she attempted to take him to be put down. Of course, Miss Gulch was meant to represent the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz, so this Easter egg in Wicked makes some sense.
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The Shadow Of The Witch
The Villainous Look Is Conjured
While Elphaba is far from the intimidating and scary villainous character of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, Wicked does drop several references to that depiction. It is perhaps these moments that help to conjure the cruel and unfair reputation of Elphaba as some kind of villain in Oz.
One such moment comes during a session between Elphaba and Madame Morrible as she practices her magic. One of the shadows that she conjures looks a lot like the threatening depiction of the Wicked Witch as played by Margaret Hamilton in the original The Wizard of Oz movie. If anyone came into the film unsure of who Elphaba will become, this is an obvious nod to it.
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The Towers Of The Emerald City
Wicked Took Inspiration From The City silhouette
The Wicked movie certainly drew inspiration from the stage musical’s set design, but it leaned even more on the imagery from 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. The Emerald City is a prime example. Though the city skyline couldn’t be seen on stage, the curtain for Wicked famously depicts a map of Oz, including a drawing of the Emerald City. The buildings look more castle-like than the long, slim towers of The Wizard of Oz. The Wicked movie, however, blended the two ideas.
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From far away, the Emerald City towers in The Wizard of Oz look like a bunch of tall, glittering green cylinders, and this design was adopted for the cityscape in Wicked. Additionally, the surrounding fields of flowers are nearly identical.
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Emerald City Fashion
The Citizens Of The Emerald City Are Cohesive With The Wizard Of Oz
The people of the Emerald City looked as if they came from a different planet in The Wizard of Oz. Their mostly green clothing was flamboyant, with massive skirts, oddly cut pants, and high-reaching headdresses. This is something that the Wicked musical adopted, but the Wicked movie had a chance to take it even further with dozens more Emerald City citizens.
The costume designers for the Wicked movie really captured the aesthetic of The Wizard of Oz. The clothing had that Victorian-era flair but with touches of pure outrageousness that could only look normal in the Emerald City.
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The Mustache Man
The Mustache Man Is A Tribute To A Wizard Of Oz Actor
The train that came to take Elphaba to the Emerald City had a conductor with a rather glorious mustache, which Glinda found fascinating. She mentioned the mustache man repeatedly, though this character had nothing to do with anything. Still, he was perfectly fitting with the world of Oz as established by The Wizard of Oz.
In the 1939 movie, Frank Morgan, who played the Wizard, played a handful of other characters as well, including the gatekeeper, guard, and coachman, who all sported differently shaped mustaches.
In the 1939 movie, Frank Morgan, who played the Wizard, played a handful of other characters as well, including the gatekeeper, guard, and coachman, who all sported differently shaped mustaches. Over the years, such exaggerated facial hair has become standard to the aesthetic of Oz, making this inclusion in Wicked all the more fitting.
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The Wizard Says “Follow The Road”
Another Wizard Of Oz Song Reference In Wicked
When Elphaba and Glinda finally met the Wizard of Oz in Wicked, he showed them his plan to build a brick road leading from all directions to his tower in the Emerald City. He hadn’t yet settled on a color but expressed his desire that anyone who needed him could just “follow the road.”
Of course, “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” is another iconic song from 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. Once again, Wicked implies that the Munchkinlanders’ mantra came directly from the events in Elphaba’s story.
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The Wizard’s Hot Air Balloons
The Wizard’s Future Escape Route Revealed
At the end of The Wizard of Oz, the Wizard is revealed to be just an ordinary man from Kansas. He arrived one day in a hot air balloon and, after helping Dorothy, left again in the same way. The Wicked movie embraced the Wizard’s apparent love for hot air travel, with balloons shown just about any time the man was mentioned.
The Wizard’s message to Elphaba arrives in a little hot air balloon, and at the end of Wicked: Part 1, Elphaba and Glinda try to escape the Emerald City in a giant one. Of course, this won’t be the last time the Wizard’s hot air balloon will be shown on screen since he is sure to depart Oz in one in Wicked: Part 2, just as he did in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz.
Wicked
9/10
- Release Date
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November 22, 2024
- Runtime
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160 Minutes
- Director
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Jon M. Chu
- Writers
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Gregory Maguire, Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox, L. Frank Baum