Wicked for Good features fun nod to The Shining

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The new movie, Wicked for Good, is currently playing in theaters, and it includes a chilling scene that references Stanley Kubrick’s classic film, The Shining.

The upcoming Wicked movie is a vibrant and heartwarming musical for the whole family, telling the story of feuding witches and wizards. It feels a lot like a superhero film, as we discussed in our review of ‘Wicked for Good’.

The story also tackles serious issues like dictatorships and the growth of fascism, explored through a secondary plot connected to Nazi Germany.

The film includes a reference to a classic horror movie, linking it to The Wizard of Oz in one scene. Be warned: spoilers follow…

Tin Man does Jack Torrance in The Shining during Wicked for Good

The first Wicked movie opens with a quick look at Dorothy immediately after she defeats the Wicked Witch of the West. Throughout the film, scenes from The Wizard of Oz unfold, showing Dorothy traveling down the yellow brick road with her companions – the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man – as the story of Wicked develops.

The new movie also reveals how some familiar characters came to be. We learn that Prince Fiyero is transformed into the Scarecrow by one of Elphaba’s spells, and the lion cub saved in the original film grows up to become the Cowardly Lion.

Boq is the character who eventually becomes the Tin Man, thanks to a spell cast by Elphaba. This happens after Nessa discovers that Boq is still in love with Glinda. Hurt and angry, Nessa shrinks Boq’s heart with a spell, but Elphaba quickly counters it, saving his life.

This involves a change that starts with Boq tumbling into a pile of silver pots and pans, and then happens out of view. We only hear him falling around and calling out, “Where am I?”

Boq breaks down the door with an axe, echoing a famous scene from the movie The Shining. He doesn’t deliver the iconic line, “Here’s Johnny!”, but the inspiration is obvious.

Now completely made of tin, he squeezed through the opening and yelled at Nessa, “What have you done to me, you witch?”

He raised the axe threateningly, as if he might strike her. But Tin Boq reconsidered, and walked away on his metallic legs.

Wicked for Good also pays homage to The Great Dictator

Besides The Shining, the musical Wicked also takes inspiration from Charlie Chaplin’s film The Great Dictator.

The musical Wicked playfully references The Great Dictator, echoing a scene where Jeff Goldblum’s character bounces the moon, similar to Charlie Chaplin bouncing a globe in the film.

The similarities are especially clear in the song ‘Wicked for Good,’ where the Wizard playfully bounces a beach ball shaped like the Earth while singing about history and deception – a performance strongly reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin’s iconic style.

The movie Wicked is now playing in theaters! You can find interviews with the cast discussing a potential third film here.

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2025-11-21 13:49