If this review could just be pink and green hearts on repeat, it would be.  There are really no words for how awesome this movie is.  THIS.  MOVIE.  IS.  PERFECTION.  That’s it.  Do you want more details?  Is Wicked Appropriate for Kids? Okay. 

Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) is green goosebump-perfection.  Ariana Grande-Butera (Glinda) is fluffy pink comedic perfection.  Director John M. Chu directed a perfect movie.  Perfect. Perfect.  Perfect. Perfection.

When you go to the movie check out their Wicked Popcorn Buckets Collectables.

Also, check out our list of the best Wicked Part 1 Quotes!

Is Wicked Appropriate for Kids?

You better believe it!  It is a fun and funny movie!  The flying monkeys that show up after Elphaba and Glinda make it to the palace are horrifying, though.  Like literal stuff of nightmares (which is fair since isn’t it the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz that frighten kids?).  Perhaps see it first before you let the little ones see it (you will WANT to see it on the big screen).  The almost three-hour run time flies, don’t worry about that at all!!

* The book Wicked is fabulous.  It is NOT a book for kids.  Even if Ariana is on the cover, read it before you let your kids go at it.  Some funky stuff goes down in Oz that younger readers might not be able to process yet.

What is the movie rated?

Wicked is rated PG. Parental Guidance because of some suggestive material and scary action.

What are the main themes of the movie?

This movie is about identity and self-love.

Is the movie too long for little kids?

The movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes. 

Is the movie available in 2D or 3D?

Wicked can be found in  3D and 4Dx.

Does the movie have any controversial or sensitive themes?

The book does.  The movie not so much.

Movie Review

Wicked: Part 1 follows the stage show very closely (while throwing in more bits from the original novel by Gregory Maguire.*).  The movie opens up with Glinda telling the citizens of Oz about the death of the Wicked Witch of the West.  While Glinda spreads the “good news”, she is asked about her relationship with the dead witch, Elphaba.  This sends Glinda back to remembering her days at university when she met her nemesis/best friend.  The audience spends a lot of time at Shiz University watching their relationship unfold. Hogwarts has nothing on Shiz!  Shiz is a technicolor masterpiece that is inhabited by students with lovely singing voices and great dance moves.  We meet characters like Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), Nessarose (Marissa Bode), Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), and Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage).  Wicked tackles politics, birthright, manipulation, being an outcast and being POPULAR!

About the Movie:

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.

The untold story of the witches of Oz stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege, who has yet to discover her true heart. As they forge an unlikely friendship, their extraordinary adventures will see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 21, 2025

Watch the trailer: