Wicked Part One is the 2024 fantasy musical film directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. It adapts the first portion of the stage musical, follows Elphaba and Glinda at Shiz University, and ends with the climactic Defying Gravity. It is a two-part adaptation, not a complete retelling of the story and not a direct adaptation of every event in Gregory Maguire’s novel.
Wicked Part One is a 2024 fantasy musical film, not a documentary and not a complete retelling of the Wicked story. Directed by Jon M. Chu, it adapts the first portion of the long-running stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. The film concentrates on the evolving relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, expands the musical’s first act into a large-scale cinematic chapter, and ends at the dramatic climax of Defying Gravity. The continuation is Wicked: For Good.
In common usage, Wicked Part One refers to the 2024 movie whose title is simply Wicked. This guide covers its premise, cast, musical numbers, literary and theatrical origins, differences from earlier versions, awards, home-viewing options, and ending. The plot discussion begins spoiler-free; the final section contains spoilers.
Wicked Part One at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Film | Wicked, commonly called Wicked Part One |
| Director | Jon M. Chu |
| Primary source | The stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman |
| Literary source | Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West |
| U.S. theatrical release | November 22, 2024 |
| Running time | Approximately 160 minutes |
| Rating | PG for scary action, thematic material, and brief suggestive material |
| Musical climax | Defying Gravity |
| Follow-up film | Wicked: For Good |
Universal’s official home-entertainment press materials identify the film’s creative team, principal cast, release history, and connection to the stage production. The rating and approximate runtime are also listed by Peacock’s film page.
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What is Wicked Part One about?
The film reimagines Oz from the perspective of Elphaba Thropp, a gifted young woman whose green skin makes her an immediate target for curiosity, prejudice, and manipulation. Rather than beginning with the familiar image of an unambiguously evil Wicked Witch, the story asks how a person becomes labeled wicked and who benefits from that label.
Elphaba arrives at Shiz University in circumstances that put her in the orbit of Glinda Upland, a popular and socially confident student. The two initially clash: Elphaba is outspoken, suspicious of appearances, and uncomfortable with the privileges surrounding Glinda, while Glinda is skilled at social performance and determined to protect her status. Their antagonism gradually becomes a complicated friendship.
At Shiz, the women encounter romantic competition, institutional power, political messaging, and a growing threat to the talking Animals of Oz. Elphaba’s unusual magical ability attracts the attention of Madame Morrible, while Glinda’s social influence gives her a different kind of power. Fiyero’s arrival further unsettles the relationships around them.
The first film follows the women through their education and into encounters with the Wizard of Oz. Elphaba begins to realize that the official version of events in Oz may be carefully manufactured. The result is a story about friendship and identity, but also about propaganda, scapegoating, social privilege, and the difference between being considered good and actually acting ethically.
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The official trailer presents the basic contrast clearly: Elphaba is treated as dangerous because she is different, while Glinda is privileged and ambitious but still developing her moral judgment. Part One does not resolve every conflict. It deliberately stops when Elphaba makes a decisive break from the Wizard’s establishment.
Main cast and characters
| Actor | Character | Role in Part One |
|---|---|---|
| Cynthia Erivo | Elphaba Thropp | A gifted young woman with green skin whose abilities and refusal to conform make her both a target and a political opportunity. |
| Ariana Grande | Glinda Upland | A popular, image-conscious student whose confidence masks uncertainty about her values and responsibilities. |
| Jonathan Bailey | Fiyero Tigelaar | A charismatic prince whose arrival changes the social and romantic balance at Shiz. |
| Jeff Goldblum | The Wizard of Oz | The celebrated ruler whose public image and political messaging drive the central conflict. |
| Michelle Yeoh | Madame Morrible | A powerful Shiz figure who takes an interest in Elphaba’s magical potential. |
| Ethan Slater | Boq Woodsman | A Munchkin student drawn into Glinda’s social circle and its romantic complications. |
| Marissa Bode | Nessarose Thropp | Elphaba’s younger sister. |
| Peter Dinklage | Doctor Dillamond | A goat professor whose treatment reveals the increasing hostility toward talking Animals. |
| Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James | Pfannee and ShenShen | Glinda’s companions and social allies. |
| Keala Settle | Miss Coddle | A film-created character who is not inherited directly from the stage musical. |
Erivo’s performance has to carry both Elphaba’s dramatic isolation and some of the film’s most demanding vocal material. Grande’s performance similarly treats Glinda as more than comic relief: her charm, self-presentation, and instinct for popularity are connected to a still-forming moral identity. The supporting cast gives the world its political, academic, romantic, and theatrical dimensions.
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How the film connects to the novel and Broadway musical
Wicked has three important layers of origin:
- Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West supplied the revisionist idea of examining the life and reputation of the woman remembered as the Wicked Witch of the West.
- The stage musical: Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics, while Winnie Holzman wrote the book. The musical, which opened in 2003, reshaped Maguire’s premise into a more accessible theatrical story centered on Elphaba and Glinda.
- The film: Jon M. Chu’s movie is primarily an adaptation of the stage musical, not a direct screen version of every event in Maguire’s novel. The cinematic version divides the musical’s story into two films and expands its first portion.
The official Wicked musical story page identifies Maguire, Schwartz, and Holzman as the key sources behind the property. The production’s official study guide is also useful for understanding the relationship between the novel, the musical, and the Oz tradition.
Readers should not assume that Maguire’s novel reproduces the film’s plot. The novel is a darker and more politically complex literary reinterpretation, while the stage musical selectively adapts its premise and characters. The movie follows the musical’s structure, themes, character relationships, and songs much more directly.
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If you want to go back to the literary source, Gregory Maguire’s original Wicked novel is best approached as a separate interpretation of Oz, not as a movie tie-in or a scene-by-scene explanation of the film.
Wicked Part One songs and soundtrack
The film retains the stage musical’s central songs while giving them cinematic space, large sets, crowds, and movement that would not be possible in the same form on a theater stage. The principal soundtrack listing contains 12 entries:
- No One Mourns the Wicked
- Dear Old Shiz
- The Wizard and I
- What Is This Feeling?
- Something Bad
- Dancing Through Life
- Popular
- I’m Not That Girl
- One Short Day
- A Sentimental Man
- Defying Gravity
- Ozdust Duet — bonus track
The soundtrack is performed primarily by the film’s cast, including Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and was released on November 22, 2024. The Wicked movie soundtrack CD listing confirms the track sequence, performers, release date, and physical-audio availability in the broader Amazon music catalog.
One important qualification: this is the soundtrack to Part One, not the complete score of the stage musical. It stops where the first film stops. Defying Gravity is therefore both a song and the film’s structural endpoint. It gathers Elphaba’s growing awareness of the Wizard’s system, her refusal to accept the role assigned to her, and the emotional consequences of her break with the establishment.
The song list also shows how the film balances contrasting tones. What Is This Feeling? turns Elphaba and Glinda’s initial hostility into comic musical conflict; Popular foregrounds Glinda’s expertise in image and social influence; Something Bad introduces the political danger facing the Animals; and One Short Day opens the story outward into the spectacle of Emerald City.
What the movie changes or expands from the stage version
The film preserves the stage musical’s core characters, themes, and songs, but it is not a filmed stage performance. Its major differences are matters of scale, pacing, and expansion:
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- Two-film structure: The musical tells its full story in one stage production. The movie turns the first major portion into a feature-length film and reserves the continuation for Wicked: For Good.
- More room for relationships: The expanded running time allows Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship, their competing social positions, and their connections to Fiyero to develop on screen.
- Cinematic Oz: Large physical sets, crowds, costumes, location-like environments, and visual effects create a version of Oz that can be explored through editing and camera movement rather than suggested from a fixed stage.
- Additional or extended material: The movie adds and expands material for the screen, including Miss Coddle, a character created for the film. These additions support the film’s broader world-building without changing the fact that the stage musical is the primary adaptation being expanded.
- Musical staging: The familiar numbers are presented as film sequences rather than simply transferred stage blocking. The camera can move through the environment, isolate reactions, and give the climactic numbers a different sense of scale.
The adaptation is therefore best described as a cinematic reworking of the stage musical. It is neither a direct adaptation of Maguire’s novel nor a concert-style recording of the Broadway production.
Visual design and Academy Awards
Production design and costume are not decorative extras in Wicked; they help establish the social divisions of Oz and distinguish the characters’ public identities. Shiz University, Emerald City, the Munchkin world, and the Wizard’s political environment are presented as physical places with their own visual hierarchies. Costumes also communicate the difference between Elphaba’s resistance to imposed expectations and Glinda’s deliberate mastery of presentation.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsAt the 97th Academy Awards, the film won two Oscars:
- Costume Design: Paul Tazewell
- Production Design: Nathan Crowley, with set decoration by Lee Sandales
The Academy also nominated Wicked for Best Picture, Actress in a Leading Role for Cynthia Erivo, Actress in a Supporting Role for Ariana Grande, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Sound, and Visual Effects. The Academy’s official 2025 ceremony results distinguish those nominations from the two wins. Erivo and Grande did not win acting Oscars for this film, and Wicked did not win Best Picture.
Where to watch or buy Wicked Part One in the United States
Release availability depends on country, retailer, subscription, and the date you check. The following is the U.S. release path documented by Universal:
- Digital purchase and rental: Available beginning December 31, 2024.
- Physical release: 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD released February 4, 2025.
- Streaming: Peacock’s U.S. listing includes the film and a sing-along presentation, but catalog placement and subscription requirements can change.
Universal specifically named Amazon Prime Video among the digital retailers carrying the movie. For the most current rental or subscription option, check the live where to stream Wicked listing and confirm that it is available in your region before subscribing or renting.
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Streaming is convenient, but it is access rather than permanent ownership and can depend on a service’s licensing arrangements. If you want a copy for repeat viewing, bonus features, or the sing-along presentation without relying on a changing catalog, look for a legitimate listing to own Wicked on 4K or choose the authorized Blu-ray/DVD release. Universal’s home release includes a sing-along version, deleted and extended scenes, and behind-the-scenes material.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happens at the end of Part One?
Spoilers for the ending of Wicked Part One follow.
By the final section, Elphaba has learned enough about the Wizard’s administration to understand that its public story about goodness, danger, and order cannot be trusted. The system is not simply misunderstanding her; it is prepared to use her difference and her magical ability to support its own political narrative.
Elphaba refuses to cooperate with that arrangement. The film turns her decision into a public and personal break from the Wizard’s establishment, culminating in Defying Gravity. The sequence gives visual form to her rejection of the role Oz has assigned her and makes clear why the authorities can now present her as a threat. Her supposed wickedness is shown as something constructed through fear, propaganda, and resistance to power rather than as a settled moral fact.
Glinda’s position is more conflicted. Her feelings for Elphaba have become deeper and more complicated, but she remains connected to the social order that rewards her popularity and gives her a public identity as good. Part One ends with the women moving in different directions: Elphaba chooses open resistance, while Glinda remains within the official structure even as its costs become harder to ignore.
This is not the conclusion of the full Wicked story. It is the first film’s deliberate break point. The sequel, Wicked: For Good, continues the consequences of Elphaba’s decision rather than being required to explain away the ending of Part One.
Is Wicked Part One worth watching?
It is a strong choice for viewers who want a polished, large-scale movie musical with substantial production design and a story that uses fantasy to examine prejudice, political messaging, public reputation, and friendship. The film is especially useful as an entry point for people who know the familiar Oz mythology but have not seen the stage musical.
There are two expectations to set before watching:
- Expect a chapter, not a complete story. The film ends at a major turning point and does not deliver the musical’s entire second half.
- Expect an adaptation, not the novel on screen. The movie follows the stage musical more closely than Maguire’s book, and the novel has a different tone, emphasis, and treatment of Oz.
Approached on those terms, Wicked Part One works as both a lavish fantasy musical and an expanded first act of a theatrical phenomenon. Its central achievement is giving Elphaba and Glinda enough screen time for their relationship to become the emotional center of a much larger argument about who gets to define goodness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wicked Part One a complete movie?
No. The 2024 film adapts the first portion of the stage musical and ends with Elphaba’s break from the Wizard’s establishment during Defying Gravity. The continuation is Wicked: For Good.
Is Wicked Part One based directly on Gregory Maguire’s novel?
Indirectly. Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel supplied the revisionist premise, but the film is primarily adapted from Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s stage musical. The novel and movie differ substantially in tone, plot emphasis, and detail.
Where can I watch or buy Wicked Part One?
In the United States, Universal announced digital purchase and rental from December 31, 2024, and 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD from February 4, 2025. Peacock also lists the film, including a sing-along version, but streaming availability varies by region and can change.
What Oscars did Wicked Part One win?
The film won Oscars for Costume Design and Production Design at the 97th Academy Awards. It also received nominations for Best Picture, acting, editing, makeup and hairstyling, original score, sound, and visual effects.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Wicked Part One is the 2024 first chapter of a two-film adaptation of the stage musical. It follows Elphaba and Glinda from their arrival at Shiz University to the climactic Defying Gravity, and it should not be mistaken for either the complete story or a direct adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s novel.
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