Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsCynthia Erivo objected to a fan edit of the Wicked film poster because it lowered Elphaba’s hat brim over her eyes and altered her lips, obscuring the direct gaze she had deliberately chosen for the official image. Erivo said hiding her eyes felt erasing and deeply hurtful. The edit made the film poster look more like the Broadway illustration, but Erivo saw that change as a personal alteration of her face—not a harmless joke.
What changed in the fan-edited poster?
On October 16, 2024, Erivo shared the fan edit on Instagram Stories. The edit pulled Elphaba’s hat brim down over Erivo’s eyes and changed her lips to red, bringing the film image closer to the obscured-face look of the Broadway poster. The official film poster, by contrast, showed Erivo looking directly at the viewer. Good Morning America/ABC News reported on Erivo’s response that day, while TheWrap described the visual changes.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Wicked 2-Film Collection - Blu-ray + Digital | $36.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Wicked (Blu-ray + Digital) | $11.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Wicked: For Good - Blu-ray + Digital | $12.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Wicked: For Good (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital) | $27.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Wicked - 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital | $14.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Film poster and Broadway artwork were not the same image
The Broadway artwork is an illustration that partially hides Elphaba’s face beneath her hat. The film poster instead presented Erivo’s face and eyes clearly. The fan edit applied the stage artwork’s obscured look to the film image; it was not the official film poster. Variety Australia/New Zealand also described the distinction.
Why did Erivo find it offensive?
Erivo explained that the direct look into the camera was intentional. In her statement, as quoted by ABC News, she wrote: “The original poster is an ILLUSTRATION. I am a real life human being, who chose to to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer …because, without words we communicate with our eyes.” She said altering the face and concealing the eyes felt like erasure: “Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful.”
#1 Best Overall
She also called the edit “the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen” and wrote, “None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us.” Those words express Erivo’s own reaction, as reported at the time; they are not a claim that the fan edit was an official image or that every viewer interpreted it the same way.
The poster edit was one part of a broader online dispute
Erivo’s post discussed other online material as separate examples: an AI-generated video depicting her and co-star Ariana Grande fighting, and recurring questions and memes about whether Elphaba’s genitalia are green. The poster edit, the AI video and the jokes were distinct items, though Erivo addressed them together in expressing frustration at the way the characters and performers were being discussed. Variety Australia/New Zealand covered those separate references.
Rank #2
- Digital Copy
TheWrap reported that the AI-generated video had nearly seven million TikTok views “as of this writing” in its October 16, 2024 article. That is a view-count snapshot from publication, not a current total. TheWrap’s report supplies that dated figure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How Erivo later described her reaction
In an interview later in October, Erivo said she was protective of the role and described her response as a human moment. She reflected, “I probably should have called my friends, but it’s fine.” That later comment added context to her reaction; it did not retract her description of the edit as hurtful. The Independent reported the interview on October 30, 2024.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Genre: Musical
- Number of Discs: 1
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Rating: PG
- Director: Jon M. Chu
Rank #4
- Runtime: 138 minutes
Rank #3
What to know about the controversy in context
- The official film poster showed Erivo looking directly at the viewer; the fan edit lowered the hat brim over her eyes and changed her lips.
- The edit borrowed the obscured-face quality of the Broadway illustration, but Erivo said the film image was an homage rather than an imitation and that its gaze was a deliberate choice.
- When the controversy broke, reports said the first Wicked film was scheduled for U.S. theaters on November 22, 2024. That was the planned release date reported at the time, not a current announcement. ABC News included that historical schedule in its October 16 report.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
