As a theater enthusiast who has seen countless productions, including the original Broadway run of Wicked, I must say that this film adaptation exceeded my expectations in every way. The cast, particularly Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, brought Glinda and Elphaba to life in such a powerful and nuanced way that it was difficult not to feel emotionally invested in their journey.


Indeed, it’s popular and lengthy, but there’s a valid explanation for dividing it into two films. So far in our journey, this is where we find ourselves at the conclusion of the initial Wicked film.

If you’re not familiar with the 2003 Broadway musical or the 1995 novel titled “Wicked,” you can still grasp its origins from “The Wizard of Oz.” Consider this: What if the Wicked Witch of the West was merely portrayed as wicked, similar to Jessica Rabbit?

The upcoming movie will debut in cinemas on November 22nd, and it’s shaping up to be a massive success. Featuring Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the live-action version is reportedly living up to expectations, as it appears to effortlessly surpass the challenges of adaptation.

Where exactly in the narrative are we currently, and why must we endure another year before continuing the tale? Allow me to provide a comprehensive summary of the conclusion for “Wicked.” Note: Major plot points may be revealed below!

Wicked movie ending: Elphaba takes on Oz

In the closing scene of the film Wicked, Elphaba sings her Act 1 anthem ‘Defying Gravity’, vowing to confront the Wizard of Oz as he wields his tyranny over the realm’s creatures.

How did this story unfold? The live-action version delves deeper into Elphaba’s past, revealing that she was born green because her mother had an affair with a man who gave her a potion made of green elixir. Despite being rejected by everyone else, she found acceptance from her younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), who is disabled.

Years pass and Elphaba ultimately delivers Nessa to Shiz University, where she interacts with Glinda. When Nessa receives excessive pampering from the faculty, Elphaba’s anger manifests as destruction across campus. Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) witnesses this chaos, extending an invitation for Elphaba to study personally under her guidance. However, due to a shared dormitory room with Glinda, their rivalry escalates significantly.

At the university, the history instructor, Doctor Dillamond (portrayed by Peter Dinklage), is actually a goat and one of the remaining animal educators on campus. He imparts to his students tales of the immense power animals once wielded over the land, which is increasingly being dominated by humans. As he teaches, he uncovers a message written in red ink on the board that reads, “Animals should be seen and not heard.” This incident leads him to forge a bond with another misfit student, Elphaba.

Simultaneously, Munchkin Boq (Ethan Slater) harbors feelings for Glinda, yet Nessa harbors feelings for him. However, Glinda swiftly shows interest in the new student Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), developing feelings for him rapidly. Meanwhile, Elphaba focuses on her studies but later discovers the truth about the animals of Oz – they’re losing their voices and mysteriously disappearing, being subjected to cruelty throughout the land.

At the Ozdust Ball, a student gathering, Glinda tricks Elphaba into donning an unflattering hat, however, she soon regrets this action once she learns that Elphaba has persuaded Morrible to accept her as a sorceress apprentice. This turn of events transpires due to Glinda arranging for Boq to take Nessa to the dance, which pleases her immensely. However, it’s revealed that Boq agreed solely to please Glinda, and she had only asked him in order to divert his attentions elsewhere. Despite these ulterior motives, a cautious friendship between the two begins as Glinda intervenes to save Elphaba from public humiliation.

Eventually, Dillamond gets arrested during his lesson and is replaced by a human teacher who intends to prove the advantage of confining animals, believing they’ll “never learn to talk.” Enraged by this, Elphaba manages to put all but Fiyero into a deep sleep in an attempt to rescue the lion cub used as an example. They are successful, and their emotions are revealed during this time. However, nothing more transpires between them, with Elphaba accepting that she may never win his love.

At Shiz, Morrible discovers what Elphaba has been doing and sends a message directly to Oz (Jeff Goldblum). Meanwhile, Glinda and Elphaba’s bond remains strong, leading them to join Oz in the Emerald City when he personally invites them. Upon witnessing a detailed town performance about Oz’s origins (watch out for that!), they discover that beneath his peculiarities, Oz is quite ordinary.

In due course, Morrible makes an appearance just as Elphaba is given the opportunity to demonstrate her abilities by casting a spell from the Grimmerie, which serves as the central repository of magic in Oz. Following her instincts, she chooses a spell that suggests itself to her, resulting in the palace’s monkey guards transforming into the airborne monkeys we recognize from The Wizard of Oz. It is at this juncture that the duplicity of Morrible and Oz comes to light – they have been orchestrating the attacks on animals under the pretext that a shared adversary will facilitate their reunion.

In a new development, the winged simians have been assigned the role of intelligence gatherers concerning animal activities, while Oz desires Elphaba’s presence during his implementation of riskier decisions. Yet, she rejects participating in his schemes and flees with the Grimmerie. Morrible instructs Glinda to retrieve her, implying to Oz that everyone should be wary of the “Wicked witch,” who is his adversary. Additionally, the flying monkeys are sent after her as well.

In the final scene of Wicked, Elphaba and Glinda are on the run from the guards who are closing in. After discovering a way to enchant a broom for flight, Elphaba persuades Glinda to join her. Unfortunately, their escape is thwarted when they destroy Oz’s famous hot air balloon, leading the guards right to them. But just as the guards arrive, Elphaba soars into the sky with a powerful song of defiance called ‘Defying Gravity’.

Glinda is detained by the guards as Elphaba informs Oz that she will never align herself with the Wizard’s criticism. Later, Morrible sets Glinda free, placing all blame on her shoulders for becoming the public adversary of the Wicked Witch.

From what we’ve learned in both “The Wizard of Oz” and the start of “Wicked,” it’s clear that the Wicked Witch of the West meets her end. Glinda recounts their past friendship to Munchkinland, hinting that matters are about to grow increasingly complicated from this point onward.

Is there a post-credits scene?

No, there isn’t a post-credits scene in Wicked Part 1.

On the other hand, the closing credits are truly awe-inspiring. To clarify, they additionally hint that Wicked will be divided into two installments, as a foreboding “to be continued…” is interwoven within them.

It’s possible for spectators to observe that Ariana Grande is now being acknowledged with her birth name, Ariana Grande-Butera, on official documents.

Why are there two movies?

As stated by director Jon M. Chu, the tale of Wicked needed to be divided into two films because “it would have been extremely difficult, even damaging, to compress the story into a single movie.

Special #Wicked Movie Announcement… ✌🏼🎬🧹🌸💚sent from my OzPhone:

— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) April 26, 2022

In a social media post, they shared, “During our work on this movie adaptation over the past year, it grew evident that condensing the story of WICKED into one film would cause significant harm to it. As we considered removing songs or reducing characters, these decisions seemed like critical sacrifices to the cherished source material that has brought joy for decades.

Thus, we opted for a broader stage and chose to create not one WICKED film, but two! This expanded area allows us to fully unfold the WICKED story as originally intended, adding even more layers and unexpected twists to the adventures of our cherished characters.

Initially, the announcement that the film’s first half would run for 2 hours and 40 minutes sparked criticism, as this duration is nearly identical to that of the original stage production.

In Part 2, due for release in November 2025, fans can anticipate a rendition that mirrors the second half of the original musical’s storyline, as it has stayed true to its roots in the first part.

Since both movies were filmed concurrently, there’s less likelihood they’ll experience the same production delays as Part 1 did.

Wicked Part 1 is out worldwide on November 22. In the meantime, catch up with upcoming Disney releases, new movies streaming this month, and the best movies of the year so far.

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2024-11-22 20:02