Will Wicked: Part One be a Critical Success?

The Wizard of Oz is a movie adaptation of the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and has delighted audiences of all ages since it was first released in 1939.

As a result, fans flocked to theaters to watch Wicked, a prequel to the much-loved story, which debuted on Broadway in 2003. Since then, the musical has wowed audiences across the world, including in London’s West End and various international tours.

It quickly became one of the most successful musicals in history, generating more than $1 billion in box office revenue.

Due to the show’s popularity, a movie adaptation of the prequel seemed inevitable, and fans’ wishes were answered when Jon M. Chu signed on as director in 2021.

Part one of two will arrive in movie theaters on November 27, 2024, competing alongside Gladiator II in its opening weekend.

As expectations are high, the flick has the potential to delight or disappoint audiences and critics. If you hope it is the former, keep reading to learn if Wicked: Part One is likely to be a critical success.

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A Musical Theater Movie Might Be a Big Risk

Various box office analysts believe a musical theater movie could be a risk for a modern audience.

While Wicked was a success in theaters worldwide, time will tell if audiences want to pay money to watch the musical fantasy film on the silver screen.

Many musicals have performed well on Broadway and the West End, only to fall flat with audiences and top movie critics, such as Rock of Ages (2012), Cats (2019), and Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

If Wicked: Part One flops with critics and audiences, many believe Universal may alter Part Two’s name to Wicked: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, or it could lose the word Wicked altogether to improve its marketing power.

Splitting the Movie Could Pay Off or Backfire

Wicked has reportedly been split into two movies to preserve the story, songs, and characters people know and love from the theater production.

According to Jon M. Chu, “It became increasingly clear that it would be impossible to wrestle the story of Wicked into a single film without doing some real damage to it. As we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those dimensions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years.”

Chu’s move could pay off. Splitting the film into two could help protect the plot, dialogue, music, and characters people know and love. If important elements were cut, it might be the first issue movie critics flag when reviewing the film, which could hurt its perception and ticket sales.

Cats is a prime example, as movie critics heavily criticized the film adaptation of the musical, stating the production felt “rushed.”

Releasing Wicked in two parts means the film is less likely to compromise on quality and will allow fans to enjoy all the moments and music they remember from the theater.

However, fans and critics might dislike having to wait a whole year for a second installment, but it is a tactic that has paid off for many popular films, such as Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and 2 and Avengers: Endgame.

Until Wicked: Part One’s world premiere, you will have to wait patiently to see how the first installment plays out with movie critics, which is likely to shape its success at the box office.

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