Movie review
November 19, 2025 · 137 min · PG
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The story follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now branded the Wicked Witch, as she hides out and fights to protect talking Animals from the Wizard’s regime, while Glinda (Ariana Grande) rises as the public “Good Witch” and spins the official narrative. The core plot and character arcs revolve around prejudice against difference, propaganda, scapegoating, institutional lies, and choosing empathy over conformity. Creators and cast explicitly frame the film around modern identity, perception versus reality, and “Oz is a very queer place.” Anti-woke critics called out the Black casting of Elphaba as a “woke hire” and the heavy political allegories. These identity and activist themes are front-and-center in the narrative, not background f
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Wicked: For Good.
Woke representation / casting
Black actress Cynthia Erivo cast as Elphaba (green-skinned outsider traditionally played by white actresses); publicly debated as identity-first “woke hire.”
Woke political dialogue
Propaganda, state lies, and anti-authoritarian messaging recur as characters confront institutional power and scapegoating.
Identity-driven story themes
Core engine is otherness, prejudice against difference, empathy across divides, and personal identity versus public image — with added queer framing from creators.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Wizard’s regime portrayed as fascist authoritarianism using lies and suppression of Animals as metaphor for oppressed groups.
Woke character or canon changes
Modern race-swapped casting of iconic Oz character plus reinterpretation of Wizard of Oz canon through ideological lens of prejudice and resistance (publicly discussed as such).
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Widespread anti-woke backlash specifically over “woke casting,” forced diversity, and turning fantasy into identity/politics lecture.
Creator track record context
Director and writer have consistent history of identity-focused, socially themed projects that align directly with this film’s emphasis.
Production
