Wicked is a fantasy musical movie about two young witches named Elphaba and Glinda who go to school together in the land of Oz. They start as rivals but become close friends. However, their lives change when they discover that the Wizard of Oz is a fraud who hurts talking animals. The movie features a strong focus on girl power, fighting unfair systems of power, and celebrating people who are different. Elphaba's green skin is used as a clear symbol for racial prejudice, and her relationship with Glinda has strong, visible queer themes.
Community feedback
Was our 90% Woke rating accurate?
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Wicked.
Woke representation / casting
Cynthia Erivo, a black queer actress, plays Elphaba, and the creators used her real-life identity to explain her character's struggles. The cast also features Marissa Bode, an actress who uses a wheelchair, and several openly gay actors in big roles, like Jonathan Bailey and Bowen Yang. This shows a clear effort to focus on diversity and identity when picking the actors.
68%
Woke political dialogue
The lines in the movie mostly follow the original musical. However, they still contain clear messages about the government blaming others and silencing those who are different. The characters often talk about standing up to unfair systems and helping talking animals who are losing their rights.
35%
Identity-driven story themes
The story is all about how people treat those who look different. Elphaba's green skin acts as a symbol for racial and social prejudice. Also, the bond between the two main female characters has very strong queer themes, which the actors and creators have talked about a lot. This places identity issues at the heart of the story.
80%
Western institutional / cultural critique
The movie shows the Wizard and his government as liars who use propaganda and blame to control the public. This critiques traditional leaders and institutions. Many viewers and critics have compared the Wizard to modern politicians, viewing the story as a critique of current society.
55%
Woke character or canon changes
The movie makes the racial and queer themes from the original musical much stronger. By choosing a black queer actress for Elphaba and focusing on the romantic feelings between her and Glinda, the creators changed the tone to fit modern identity politics more than older versions did.
45%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some groups called for a boycott of the movie over its LGBTQ+ themes. Also, the film board's warning about "discrimination against green people" was widely mocked online. The lead actress faced backlash after she publicly complained about a fan who edited a movie poster.
60%
Creator track record context
Important people who made the movie, like the writer and the songwriter, have strong histories of supporting left-leaning and LGBTQ+ causes. Other producers and the director have more neutral records, leading to a mixed but progressive score for the team.
43%
Production
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