Wicked is set to be one of the most anticipated and talked-about movies of the next couple of years, with two films based on the hit Broadway show to be released. What can we expect from Wicked and how might it affect the way that we look at magic in popular culture?
The Return of Magic and Wizards?
Magic has always been popular in movies and TV shows, but perhaps this upcoming release is just what we need for it to take its place as one of our favourite subjects again. Wicked is loosely based on The Wizard of Oz, but told from the point of view of the witches who live in the land of Oz. Wizards and witches have also featured heavily in movies such as the Lord of the Rings series in the past.
This theme has reached many other parts of pop culture, as we can see by looking at the Blue Wizard slot by Playtech, for example. The symbols include a wizard as the wild, and a castle that’s the game’s scatter symbol, while there’s also a crystal ball. Slots such as The Wish Master and Rosella’s Mystical Spins take other elements of magic as their main theme.
TV shows like Merlin and Sleepy Hollow have all used magic in different ways, while the third season of The Witcher is to be released on Netflix later in 2023. Loki is also set for a new season this year, so there are some interesting shows incorporating magic on their way.
All About Wicked
Jon M. Chu directed this movie, which will have the first part released in November 2024, followed by the second instalment of Wicked a year later. The director confirmed the latest updates on Instagram and said that it was necessary to split the story into two movies to do justice to it. Filming began at the end of 2022.
The cast includes Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. These are the two witches from the Emerald City, with one of them becoming the Good Witch of the North while the other converts into the Wicked Witch of the West.
Erivo is one of the first stars to have spoken out about the movie. She said in an interview with L’OFFICIEL that she remembers feeling “really alive” when she saw it in the theatre, pointing out that it’s unusual to see a story told from the villain’s point of view. Meanwhile, Michelle Yeoh takes on the role of Madame Morrible and Jeff Goldblum is the Wizard. You might also recognize Jonathan Bailey from Bridgerton, who plays the role of Flyero.
While it’s still a long way from its release date, the fact that two instalments of Wicked are planned means that we can look forward to hearing a lot more about witches and wizards in the next year or two. This may help to make magic themes more popular, although the truth is that this a subject that’s never really disappeared from popular culture anyway.