Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's Wicked film branded a 'musical masterpiece' by critics

Early reviews for the highly-anticipated film adaptation of Broadway's Wicked starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are trickling in.

The epic fantasy film, based on the 1995 book by Gregory Maguire that was later turned into a three-time Tony Award winning Broadway musical in 2003, will hit theaters on November 22.

Directed by Jon M. Chu with an eye-popping budget of $145million, Wicked is split into two feature-length films, with the final chapter slated for November 2025. 

Critics are already calling Wicked: Part One a 'masterpiece' that 'pops and enchants on the big screen' as audiences are welcomed to the fantastical world of Oz.

The film's leads Grande and Erivo, who play witches Glinda and Elphaba, respectively, are receiving high praise for their jaw-dropping vocals and onscreen chemistry. 

Film & TV journalist Scott Menzel boldly called it the 'very best big screen adaptations of a Broadway musical ever.'

'Wicked is a cinematic spectacle that serves as one of the very best big screen adaptations of a Broadway musical ever. Jon M. Chu perfectly captures the magic of the Broadway show while adding in some of his own unique flourishes to the source material,' Menzel tweeted Wednesday.

'Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo completely knock it out of the park as Elphaba and Glinda. Jonathan Bailey is also quite phenomenal in the film. Wicked lives up to the hype and often succeeds it.'

Menzel also teased that fans of the Broadway musical 'are going to absolutely lose their minds over' one particular scene. 

'Wicked is hands down one of the year's best films,' Menzel concluded.

Variety's Jazz Tangcay said that Wicked is 'much more than we could have ever expected' and that director Chu, Erivo and Grande 'gifted us a musical masterpiece.'  

Tangcay continued: 'Ariana & Cynthia will blow you away. The production design and costumes are a visual spectacle.'

Film critic Katcy Stephen, also from Variety, admitted that they were initially 'pessimistical' but were happy to report that Wicked is 'a masterpiece.' 

'Ariana Grande makes Glinda sparkle: she milks every moment with gusto, humor and hair flips,' Stephen tweeted.

'Jon M. Chu added so much new life to the story that I can see why it needed to be 2 parts! Well worth the 20-year wait.' 

Erin Stecker of IndieWire celebrated Wicked as 'the best musical-to-movie adaptation' since Chicago (2002) starring Renee Zellweger and Mamma Mia (2008) starring Meryl Streep. 

Stecker also said that Grande 'is perfection' in the nearly three-hour feature.

'#WickedMovie is an Oz-some spectacle that pops and enchants on the big screen,' journalist Simon Thompson reported Wednesday.

Thompson described Wicked as an 'absolutely stunning vision' and said that Erivo and Grande 'knock it out of the park.' 

'While this perhaps won't convert many anti-musical folks, genre fans and die-hard Ozians (Wickhards?) will feast on this.'

Lauren Veneziani, a film and TV critic, said that Wicked is 'one of the most perfect musical adaptions to ever exist.'

Veneziani said the musical 'exceeded my expectations.' 

'Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande are a match made in cinematic musical heaven, one dance scene in particular had me so emotional,' she concluded.

Variety's Clayton Davis was left in complete awe of Grande's vocal and acting abilities.

He penned that the role of Glinda — originated by Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth back in 2004 — is a role Grande 'was born to play.

'Perfectly suited and genuinely a hilarious, scene-stealing performance.'

Next, Davis lauded Erivo's heavenly vocals, which allowed her to 'make Elphaba her own.

'The team of artisans assembled by Jon M. Chu all put their signature touches. Very excited to see what they do with Part 2,' Davis concluded.

The Wrap's Drew Taylor applauded Grande and Erivo for their 'amazing' performances but only described Wicked as a 'solid' film with moments that are 'occasionally quite moving.

'But it also falls into some of the traps of the Disney live-action remakes that diminishes its power — overlong, noisy, over-designed.'

All in all, Taylor wrote that he 'liked it a lot' and that he was looking forward to Wicked: Part Two's November 2025 release. 

Wicked is about an unlikely friendship that emerges between Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande), two clashing witches in the magical land of Oz.

Elphaba is wrongfully cast as a wicked witch as she seeks to expose the fraudulent, corrupt Wizard who rules the land.

Wicked is the origin story of 'a green-skinned woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.'

It serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, exploring the narrative before Dorothy's arrival and delving into the former friendship between the characters Elphaba and Glinda.

The stars will be starting their press tour in the coming days, with the first premiere happening in Sydney, Australia next weekend, November 3.

Wicked is scheduled to drop on November 27, and then a direct sequel, Wicked: Part Two, will follow a year later.