The upcoming film Wicked is adapted from the popular musical, which tells the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a promising young student ostracized for her green skin, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), Elphaba's popular and privileged roommate. The unlikely duo gradually change until they become The Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West and Good Witch, respectively. Yet it seems the prequel includes unexpected turns within their relationship. While the musical tells the story in just under three hours, the film will actually be split into two parts, with only the first coming out this year. Splitting a story into two films, especially one that already has a fanbase, is a common practice, but it doesn't always work. Some two-part films feel like a cash grab rather than a good narrative choice, but in Wicked's case, the split makes sense.
Giving the story more time to unfold has the potential to improve upon the beloved musical by giving the central relationship more time to develop and change. Due to the length of the musical, a single movie may struggle to cover the important elements, and the storytelling of film and stage are different, justifying certain changes that would only make Wicked longer. Plus, the two-act structure of the musical provides a natural place for the story to be divided. Though fans of the film will have to wait much longer than the musical's intermission to get the second part, it is a good choice for the filmmakers to split the story between different films.
'Wicked' Can Dive Deeper into Elphaba and Glinda's Friendship
After running more than 20 years on Broadway, it wouldn't be fair to say that the musical doesn't tell the story effectively, as it is, naturally, structured for a stage format. The musical relies heavily on the songs, which movie-goers may not be as quick to accept as theater fans. Using these to show the passage of time, the musical rushes through Elphaba and Glinda's enemies-to-friends progression. Films often have a slower pace than musicals, and it may not translate well for Elphaba and Glinda to go from animosity to friendship over the course of a single song in the film adaption. Dividing the story is the solution, allowing the films to delve deeper into the relationship.
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Elphaba and Glinda are unlikely friends at the start of their relationship, when Glinda sets Elphaba's sister up to free herself from Boq's (Ethan Slater) unwanted attention. Grateful for the kindness to her sister, Elphaba convinces the school to give Glinda sorcery lessons, and Glinda, feeling guilty for trying to embarrass Elphaba, decides to befriend her. It happens in rapid-fire succession, but the relationship they build is crucial to the rest of the story. The extra time in the film will allow them to slow down the progression, preventing the relationship from being rushed. In this version, the characters don't have to skip straight from enemies to friends but can simply tolerate each other for a while. Showing them building a deeper connection will help the audience grow attached to the characters as a pair, benefitting the emotional climax of the story.
Making 'Wicked' into Two Films is a Risk
Image via Universal Splitting one story into two films is not a new thing and, over the years, has met varying degrees of success. While Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is widely accepted among fans, the necessity of making a Mockingjay Part 2 is still debated. However, Wicked is in the unique position to sidestep the biggest concern. Dividing a story can make for uneven films, one of which contains all the important plot points while the other is slow in setting up the action, but the two-act structure of a musical lends itself to being separated. Already, there is a moment made to be a cliffhanger ending in the Act 1 finale, and Wicked, in particular, changes courses between acts.
While the beginning of the musical focuses on the characters at school, the second part deals with the fallout of their choices when they meet the Wizard. Elphaba and Glinda go from enemies to best friends in just the first act of the musical, while act two sheds its prequel nature by showing a different perspective of the events of The Wizard of Oz. Though the second half builds off the first, the shift in the narrative can make the film's choice to split the story feel more natural. It remains to be seen how Wicked uses the additional time, but it is an advantage for the film and, if done right, could make it even better than the musical it is adapting.
Wicked
The story of how a green-skinned woman framed by the Wizard of Oz becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. The first of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
Release Date November 22, 2024
Wicked is in theaters on November 27, 2024.
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