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The 2025 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards will be taking place in June 2025 and the nominations have been announced!

Nickelodeon just revealed that music star Tyla will host the event live on June 21 from Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The show will air live on Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, the Nick Jr. channel, MTV2 and CMT and Nickelodeon channels around the world at 8pm Et/Pt.

Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar lead the nominations this year with four mentions each. There are 35 categories in which fans can vote in, beginning on Thursday.

Musical performances for the live show will be announced at a later date.

Keep reading to find out more…

Keep reading to see the full list of nominations…

Television

Favorite Kids TV Show

Ayla & The Mirrors

Bunk’d

The Really Loud House

The Thundermans: Undercover

Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

Favorite Male TV Star (Kids...

Green goo and big stars are joining forces once again for the 2025 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, which officially unveiled its host and nominees on Thursday.

Grammy-winning artist Tyla will take the reins as host when the show airs live on June 21 from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

The slime-filled spectacle will simulcast across Nickelodeon, TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., MTV2, and CMT, as well as international Nickelodeon channels, where fans can watch their favorite TV, movie and sports stars get covered in green glop.

This year’s nominees include a fresh batch of first-timers such as Gracie Abrams, Zach Bryan, Jordan Chiles, Frankie Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Doechii, Keith Lee, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, Shohei Ohtani, and Florence Pugh.

Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, and Kendrick Lamar lead the nominations with four each, while Jack Black, Dwayne Johnson, and Jelly Roll follow close behind with three nods apiece.

Musical performances...

Universal Pictures has announced the nationwide theatrical re-release of The Wiz, the 1978 Oscar-nominated musical starring music legends Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, screen icon Lena Horne, and comedy titan Richard Pryor.

The landmark film, which reimagines L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, through the lens of 1970s Black culture, will return to theaters nationwide for special screenings on May 18 and May 21, 2025.

Nearly five decades since its original release, The Wiz remains a defining moment in cinematic history, celebrated for its bold, revolutionary vision of Oz. Based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, The Wiz tells the story of Dorothy (Oscar nominee Ross), a Harlem schoolteacher who is transported to the magical land of Oz during a snowstorm.

There, she embarks on a journey to meet the all-powerful ruler of Oz, The Wiz (Grammy and Emmy winner Richard Pryor), and find a way back home. Along the way,...

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Unless a house has suddenly fallen on you in the land of Oz, then you know that Wicked is one of the most talked about films of the past year. It grossed a total of $634.4 million across the globe, with pink and green fans flocking to see it in droves. Starring Ariana Grande-Butera and Cynthia Erivo as Glinda the Good and Elphaba, this blockbuster is available to stream at home.

The 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards celebrated the best performances of the year in both movies and television.

Celebs from all around the world gathered for the annual event on Sunday (February 23) at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Wicked led the nominations this year with five nods and Shogun led the television categories, also with five nominations.

Make sure to see photos of Every celeb on the red carpet at the SAG Awards. You can also take a look at our list of the Best Dressed stars of the night.

Head inside to see the full list of winners…

Scroll down for the full list of winners…

Movie Nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Adrien Brody / László Tóth – “The Brutalist”

TIMOTHÉE Chalamet / Bob Dylan – “A Complete Unknown” – Winner

Daniel Craig / William Lee – “Queer”

Colman Domingo / Divine G – “Sing Sing”

Ralph Fiennes / Lawrence – “Conclave”

Outstanding Performance...

Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Universal Pictures’ Wicked begins streaming exclusively on Peacock on March 21.

The biggest Broadway adaptation of all time globally, Wicked won the Golden Globe Award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum and more.

The untold story of the witches of Oz, Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet at Shiz University and forge an unlikely friendship – before their lives take different paths following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Their extraordinary adventures will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Wicked had a series of professionals both on screen and behind the screen, which is why it was a big success. Marc Platt, who was the producer of the film, has a wide experience in theater and the movie industry, but he had a different idea for Wicked.

The 2024 hit is based on the 2003 Broadway musical, which has had multiple renditions all over the world since. Although the musical tells the whole story with an intermission, director Jon M. Chu divided the screen adaptation into two separate features. However, during the annual Producers Guild of America, Marc Platt revealed he wanted the film to be released all at once with an intermission, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Related'The Gatekeeping Fan Girl': Ariana Grande Explained Her Nonnegotiable Changes in Wicked and Acting Future

Ariana Grande will never stop protecting Wicked.

"I remember going to the movies as a kid and...

2025 is already a great year for Wicked, and part two, Wicked: For Good, is nine months away. After a series of exciting Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, the adaptation of the beloved musical has reached yet another box office milestone.

Following the film's release on Nov. 22, Wicked has enchanted the world. Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the Broadway musical has been very successful, not just commercially but also critically, and scored several important award nominations. On top of that, Wicked has scored a huge milestone at the box office: it beat Dune: Part Two and became the fifth highest-grossing film of 2024, per The Numbers.

RelatedWicked Director Addresses Oscar Nominations After Cast Was 'Crying' Over His Snub

Jon M. Chu didn't land a nod for Best Director, though the movie scored many other nominations.

Wicked flew past the $700 million milestone globally in mid-January, a huge achievement since the musical...

If you're not familiar with the full story of "Wicked" — as in, anything past the events of the film "Wicked: Part One" — do not keep going down the yellow brick road! Major spoilers lie ahead!

If you're even a little bit familiar with "The Wizard of Oz" — the 1939 adaptation of L. Frank Baum's novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" — you probably know the movie's four main players. You've got Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a girl transported from Kansas to Oz thanks to a magical tornado, who ends up meeting the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) in the fantastical land. Nearly a century later, audiences returned to Oz thanks to Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the hit Broadway musical "Wicked," itself adapted from Gregory Maguire's 1995 Oz-centric prequel novel "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,...

The movie musical Wicked has been a hit from the gate, but it recently surpassed the $700 million mark at the global box office. This places it comfortably as one of the most successful films of the year, and it still has some major markets to release in.

Per Deadline, as of Wednesday, Wicked topped $700 million globally. That total is broken down into $240.4 million internationally, and $460.6 million at the domestic box office. The news comes in the wake of Wicked’s nomination for the PGA Awards – along with The Penguin, Dune: Part Two, and Shōgun.

Related 'Return to the Arena': Spartacus Revival Series Gets First Look Trailer (With 1 Returning Star)

The first action-packed sneak peek at Spartacus: House of Ashur has just been released.

It is particularly impressive that Wicked was able to reach that global milestone since the film has already been released for VOD (video on-demand). In fact, in...

Once upon a time, about 24 years ago, when Marc Platt (“La La Land”) moved from production president of Universal Pictures to launch his own producing shingle at the studio, he brought with him a movie adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” a prequel to L. Frank Baum’s classic “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and the 1939 Judy Garland musical. Linda Woolverton’s first script was a straight film adaptation; a small part of the mix was the origin story of two witches of Oz, Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West.

A blockbuster movie musical like “Wicked” (Universal) is the sum of years of dedicated labor and deliberate decisions about what to keep from the book or the show, or what to add and change for the movie. Somehow, over two decades, producer...

Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba and Ariana Grande is Glinda in ‘Wicked’ (Photo by Giles Keyte © Universal Studios)

The Screen Actors Guild wisely opted to cancel its in-person 2025 SAG Awards nominations announcement as fires raged throughout Los Angeles. The list of film nominees, representing the best work by actors in 2024, is led by Wicked with five nominations. A Complete Unknown and Emilia Pérez each earned four, and Anora picked up three nominations. Conclave and The Last Showgirl were nominated for two SAG Awards.

Shōgun leads all television nominees with five, followed by The Bear (coming off a disappointing season) with four and The Diplomat with three. 12 series tied with two nominations each.

Winners will be announced during the 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards streaming on Netflix on Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 5pm Pt/8pm Et.

SAG Awards Motion Picture Nominees

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Adrien Brody...

The 2025 SAG Award nominations are in!

The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will stream live globally on Netflix Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 8 p.m. Et / 5 p.m. Pt from the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall. Kristen Bell returns as host.

Joey King and Cooper Koch were supposed to announce the nominees live this morning, but the event was canceled due to the devastating fires happening in California right now.

Keep reading to find out more…

Scroll down for the full list of nominees…

Movie Nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Adrien Brody / László Tóth – “The Brutalist”

TIMOTHÉE Chalamet / Bob Dylan – “A Complete Unknown”

Daniel Craig / William Lee – “Queer”

Colman Domingo / Divine G – “Sing Sing”

Ralph Fiennes / Lawrence – “Conclave”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Pamela Anderson / Shelly – “The Last Showgirl”

Cynthia Erivo / Elphaba – “Wicked”

Karla SOFÍA GASCÓN / Emilia/Manitas – “Emilia PÉREZ”

Mikey Madison...

Nominations for the 2025 SAG Awards were unveiled this morning, after the group’s scheduled in-person announcement was canceled amid the unfolding wildfire tragedy in Los Angeles. See the full list below, followed by a breakdown of noms by film and TV show..

Vying for the marquee film ensemble category are the casts of A Complete Unknown, Anora, Conclave, Emilia Pérez and Wicked.

Up for the lead actor prize are Golden Globe winner Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Daniel Craig (Queer), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave).

The lead female actor race is among Pamela Anderson (The Last Showgirl), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Mikey Madison (Anora) and Golden Globe winner Demi Moore (The Substance).

Overall, Wicked leads the film field with five nominations, followed by A Complete Unknown with four and Anora and Emilia Pérez with three each.

Related: Golden Globes...

Many TV villains could easily be one of the Wicked Witches from Frank L. Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz universe. They are self-involved and often corrupt, using magic to get their way and defeat their enemies. In Baum's novel, the most famous witch is the Wicked Witch of the West, and the one who tries to get Dorothy out of the Land of Oz. The story also has other Wicked Witches from other sides of the world—East, North, and South.

85 years later, Victor Fleming's The Wizard of Oz, the 1939 Oscar-nominated adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is still widely lauded as one of the best movie musicals in history for its revolutionary setting and scale, memorable characters, and Judy Garland's wonderful performance. It's no wonder it remained influential enough to inspire Gregory Maguire's 1995 villain-reclamation novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which achieved new heights as a widely lauded Tony-winning musical Wicked. Now, Wicked, the first part of director Jon M. Chu's two-part envisioning of the beloved stage classic, is finally headed to the big screen after a journey more circuitous than the Yellow Brick Road, and the stakes couldn't be higher.

Once Upon a Time puts many unique spins on classic fairy tale characters. Once Upon a Time's concept is creative: the Evil Queen casts a Dark Curse that sends fairy tale characters to Storybrooke, Maine. Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter, Emma Swan, is destined to break this curse when she is 28. Emma arrives in Storybrooke because Henry, her son, finds her. However, the Evil Queen — Regina Mills in Storybrooke — adopted Henry when Emma gave him up at birth. This immediately establishes a complex family tree in Once Upon a Time, containing many surprises, twists, and turns.

And the Evil Queen is not the only character with a new identity in the real world. Marco and Archie Hopper exist: two characters formerly known as Geppetto and Jiminy Cricket from The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Another example includes Ashley Boyd, known as the titular character from Charles Perrault's Cendrillon (Cinderella). In fact,...

The seventh episode of Silo season 2 has some really interesting references from Hugh Howey’s Wool. To begin with, the opening scene confirmed the existence of the secret bunkroom behind the vault, which Solo had been trying to protect with his life. Inside the vault, Bernard introduced Lukas Kyle, his new shadow, to an AI, which is referred to as “servers” and “algorithms” in the book. In “Wool,” Solo explains to Juliette that all these It servers (or AI in the show) contains “all that we know, and all that ever was.” You get the jist. It’s like an advanced version of Iron Man’s Jarvis in the Silo universe. But then you may ask, “Why keep these relics and hard copies of the books?” I mean, throughout the show, these items had been falling into the wrong hands. They should destroy them, right? Well, according to Solo, they cannot.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has announced the Wicked Digital, 4K Uhd, Blu-ray and DVD release details. The film’s Peacock streaming debut has not yet been announced.

After setting the record for the biggest opening for a movie based on a Broadway show ever and being nominated for four Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the musical adaptation will be available exclusively on digital platforms to purchase or rent in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve on December 31, 2024.

Having cast a captivating spell on film audiences worldwide, the film has earned Certified Fresh and Verified Hot designations on Rotten Tomatoes and a wickedly stunning “A” CinemaScore. You’ll be able to experience the magic of the spellbinding film with a dazzling bonus Sing-Along version, a 40-minute journey through Oz that celebrates the film’s transformative on-screen magic, deleted & extended scenes and more.

On Dec. 31, the Wicked...

Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, has received a fantastic adaptation in the form of a two-part musical film directed by Jon M. Chu. But while audiences are in absolute awe of the new movie’s interpretation of where the yellow brick road leads, it’s fascinating to consider how different Wicked could have been if it had been adapted over 25 years ago, in the 1990s.

Wicked’s journey from page to screen has been a long and winding one, and a recent update from Vanity Fair sheds light on how it dates back to the 1990s. The original story eventually made its way to Broadway, where it was reimagined with a much darker tone, but two significant industry figures were vying for the film rights. One contender was Demi Moore’s production company, which originally optioned the rights. The other was Whoopi Goldberg,...

Jon M. Chu’s second Wicked film, previously known as Wicked Part 2, has now been titled Wicked: For Good.

The change references a highly anticipated song and duet between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) in which the pair sing about how their frenemies relationship has impacted their lives forever. The second film has already set a release date of November 21, 2025.

Grande, Erivo and Chu posted a video of the title change on Instagram.

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A post shared by Wicked Movie (@wickedmovie)

The first film from Universal surpassed the $500 million milestone at the global box office over the weekend, adding $22.5 million in its fourth frame domestically and $21.5M from 81 offshore markets. Wicked: Part One‘s worldwide total is now $525M.

Both films are adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which tells the origin...

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have impressed audiences with their performances in Wicked, and along the way, they've also showcased a genuine bond during their press interviews. Their off-screen friendship is evident, and their support for each other goes back to before cameras even started rolling on the hit musical. During a recent conversation with the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Grande, who stars as Glinda, explained how she and Erivo ensured their contracts were "aligned" and addressed what each of the stars needed.

"When I got my contract, I called [Erivo], and was like, 'Hey let's go through this thing. Let's go beat by beat through this together and make sure we are aligned in what we need,'" she shared. "If [Erivo needs] something, we need it together. I want us to have each other's backs. Your problems become my problems and mine become yours."

That was the beginning of a beautiful partnership. Grande...

This article contains spoilers for Wicked (2024).

After seeing Wicked, the underrated Syfy's Tin Man is the perfect miniseries to watch for another interpretation of The Wizard of Oz. There are plenty of Wizard of Oz movies that reimagine the classic children's book by L. Frank Baum. There are even TV shows that have spun their own take on The Wizard of Oz, including Zelena in Once Upon a Time and NBC's Emerald City. Popular shows such as That's So Raven, Sesame Street, and Supernatural have had their own segments regarding The Wizard of Oz. There is no shortage of interpretations of this beloved story.

Tin Man is not a particularly popular adaptation of Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but it is a worthy one. Tin Man stars Zooey Deschanel and Adam Cumming in a three-part miniseries that aired on Syfy in 2007. The show is a...

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the scripts behind awards season’s most talked-about movies continues with Wicked, Universal’s blockbuster musical movie from director Jon M. Chu. Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West — about the untold stories of the witches of Oz, set in the years before Dorothy dropped in via L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz — the screenplay was penned by original Broadway musical book writer Winnie Holzman and Cruella co-scribe Dana Fox.

In 2003, Wicked debuted on Broadway, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, earning 10 Tony nominations including Best Musical and three wins. The musical has earned about $6 billion worldwide and has become a runaway success in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia and the UK.

The film, which opened November 22 to a slew of records after its own long journey to the screen,...

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Wicked!

The Wizard of Oz's first death is iconic, but the story of Wicked makes this scene so much more tragic than before. Wicked does a lot to flesh out the world of the Land of Oz, with it exploring many events that took place before and during the original story as well as providing additional context for some of The Wizard of Oz's biggest moments. While Wicked changes how fans see The Wizard of Oz in some big ways, the effect that it has on The Wizard of Oz's first death is absolutely the biggest.

L. Frank Baum's original Oz stories have been adapted in many different ways, making the canon status of Wicked a bit confusing. Wicked is not technically a prequel to 1939's The Wizard of Oz movie, as the film that made the Land of Oz iconic is still owned by Warner Bros.,...

Universal Pictures today announced Christmas Day Wicked sing-along screenings as the box-office phenomenon continues its record-shattering theatrical run. More than 1,000 theaters throughout the United States, Canada and select international markets will host interactive Wicked sing-along screenings, which will feature on-screen lyrics and a special introduction from stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

The announcement arrives as Wicked continues to shatter box-office records, becoming the highest-grossing Broadway musical film adaptation in domestic box-office history, surpassing a benchmark held by Grease for 46 years.

Featuring Grammy and Oscar winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz’s songs from the generation-defining stage musical, the film’s groundbreaking soundtrack has made history, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. With more than 270 million global streams, it has achieved the largest streaming week ever for a stage-to-screen musical film soundtrack and stands as the No. 1 soundtrack debut of the decade.

A special sing-along version of the soundtrack...

Quick Links The Wizard of Oz Cartoon Series Was Based on the 1939 Film More Than L. Frank Baum’s Book Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz Animated Series Was Not Designed to Resemble Judy Garland Dic Entertainment Was Heavily Involved in Children’s Animation in the 1990s

L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has seen multiple iterations since its publication in 1900. Among the most memorable is the 1939 MGM film adaptation starring Judy Garland. In the early days, Baum was directly involved with these versions, including a 1902 live musical that ran on Broadway. Baum also backed a series of radio plays based on the Oz series of books in 1906. Sadly, Baum was not alive to witness the success of the 1939 film -- he had passed away 20 years prior at the age of 62.

Other notable film adaptations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz include The Wiz (1978), the much darker...

Wicked has a chance to beat The Wizard of Oz at the 2025 Oscars. The movie musical, which is an Oz prequel directed by In the Heights' Jon M. Chu, stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande-Butera as Galinda, the future Glinda the Good. It is adapted from the 2003 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was adapted from Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel of the same name, which drew inspiration from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation starring Judy Garland.

Throughout the year, the 2024 musical has slowly emerged as a frontrunner for Academy Award nominations in a variety of different categories. In fact, at the time of writing, Variety lists it as their most likely candidate for a Best Picture nomination alongside buzzy movies such as Anora, Emilia Pérez, Conclave, and Gladiator II.

‘Wicked: Part I’ recently released to glowing reviews and phenomenal box office success. It’s based on the stage musical ‘Wicked,’ which is inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, itself a reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.’

The film follows Elphaba, who will become the Wicked Witch of the West, and her friendship with Galinda, who will become Glinda the Good, set in the Land of Oz before Dorothy arrives.

The main cast of ‘Wicked: Part I’ includes Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande as Galinda, who becomes Glinda the Good. Supporting roles feature Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Peter Dinklage as the voice of Dr. Dillamond. Other notable cast members include Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) is one of the greatest movies of all time and is considered by cinephiles and critics alike to be a classic and essential movie. The movie is based on the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, who went on to write multiple other Oz books, although there is no debate that the first is by far the most popular.

Warning: Massive spoilers for the Wicked stage show and Wicked: Part One ahead

Cynthia Erivo is hopping on her broomstick and Ariana Grande is stepping inside her bubble as the pair take flight as Elphaba and Glinda in Jon M. Chu’s Wicked. The adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s stage show is defying box office expectations, which is good news for Wicked: Part Two’s release in 2025. The second act of Wicked is a good deal darker than the first, as the second movie will be darker than Part One. And director John Chu is already laying the groundwork.

Chu already switched things up from the stage adaptation by featuring (an uncredited appearance by) Dorothy Gale in the movie’s opening, as well as expanding the Wiz-o-Mania show in the Emerald City with some unexpected cameos and a stretching out the end of “Defying Gravity” with an appearance from Young Elphaba.

Warning: Contains Spoilers for Wicked!

In the world of Wicked, Elphaba is one of the most powerful characters in The Land of Oz, and here is how powerful she is compared to The Wicked Witch of the West in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Wicked attempts to paint a more sympathetic picture of the villain from The Wizard of Oz, showing how the witch actually came to be wicked. Despite Elphaba and 1939's Wicked Witch of the West being very similar characters, they are not identical, with Elphaba and the Wicked Witch having different powers, abilities, and magical capabilities in their respective stories.

The canon status of the various Oz stories is a little murky, as while author L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and other Oz stories are public domain, Warner Bros.' 1939 The Wizard of Oz film is not. However, much of the iconography associated...

The world has been abuzz with pink and green this past week following the release of Jon M. Chu's Wicked. According to star Ariana Grande, fans can also keep an eye out for some other colors of the rainbow. Characters like the Wicked Witch, Munchkins, and Glinda the Good have been a part of our zeitgeist for over a century. However, with the release of Wicked (2024) bringing them back into the forefront, star Ariana Grande dropped a new piece of information that has perked up viewers' ears. In an interview with Gay Times, Grande revealed that she believes her character in Wicked might be a "Friend of Dorothy" after all. Here is what she said, and what might support her theory in the plot of Wicked.

Some Brief 'Wicked' Context for the Uninitiated

Universal Pictures

Wicked serves as a prequel to L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,...

Fans of Antiques Roadshow and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz were in for a treat when one guest brought in a copy of L. Frank Baum’s book on the reality show. The book turned out to be very special once it was opened up. However, the guest ultimately refused to part ways with it.

Antiques Roadshow Took A Trip To Oz By Way Of Texas

Antiques Roadshow is an American remake of the British series of the same name. In the series, antique owners have items appraised by experts, often learning just how valuable a certain item really is.

During an episode filmed at the McNay Art Museum in Texas, a guest brought in a copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. He revealed his father purchased the book in the 1960s.

Dorothy Gale from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – YouTube

As noted by The Express U.S., the guest shared,...

The original author has weighed in on Wicked. The 2024 Wizard of Oz prequel movie, which was directed by Jon M. Chu and stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba (the future Wicked Witch of the West) opposite Ariana Grande-Butera as Galinda (the future Glinda the Good Witch), is based on the 2003 stage musical of the same name with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. In turn, that musical was based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked, which was originally published in 1995.

Maguire recently sat down for an interview with Yahoo Entertainment. When asked about his opinion on the new movie, he said that "I hardly recognize it as my book anymore," though he also shared that he found it to be "far better than it has any right to be." He particularly praised the work of Cynthia Erivo, who he says maintained the core of the "sharp,...

Good news! Wicked has made its much-anticipated debut, finally allowing audiences the chance to see the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda (Ariana Grande) come to life on the big screen. The movie is an adaptation of the Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz, of the novel by Gregory Maguire, which itself is based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

With the recent theatrical release of Wicked, which is an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, lots of speculations have circulated again, regarding the sports series Ted Lasso being a modern retelling of the same narrative. Years ago, fans came up with theories about similarities from Roy Kent's tie-dye yellow brick road-esque shirt to Ted's red sneakers to the Wizard of Oz-themed pinball machine in the show's penultimate episode and even the title characters home being Kansas.

The Wicked movie has recently become the subject of a viral rumor alleging there was a great pay dispute between the two lead actresses, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The story had sparked debate among fans on social media. Universal Pictures, the film’s production company and distributor, has recently addressed the issue.

Rumors Claimed One Wicked Actress Was Paid Much More Than Another

Wicked is a film adaptation of the Broadway show of the same name, itself based on the namesake Gregory Maguire novel. The story is a revisionist take on L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, telling the story of the early years of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, the story incarnation of the Witch of the West. Ariana Grande plays Glinda.

Elphaba & Glinda in ‘Wicked’ – YouTube

The two actresses, however, recently became the subject...

Jon M. Chu’s musical Wicked (Part One), starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, is set to defy gravity over the coming weeks as the blockbuster event of the holiday season. Adapted from Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s long-running Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical, itself based on Gregory Maguire’s fantasy novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked has the kind of built-in fan base most Hollywood musicals can only dream of.

While recent theatrical musical adaptations and originals like West Side Story (2021), The Color Purple (2023), Wonka (2023) and Chu’s In the Heights (2021) had their share of fans, none could compare with the Wicked phenomenon — except for maybe, Cats (2019). Jokes aside, Wicked’s fan base has been maintained and further populated by a plethora of merch, Broadway reunions, album rereleases, a 15th anniversary Halloween TV special and,...

Actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are both starring in the film adaptation of Wicked and have been promoting the project with a press tour. During one such recent interview, Erivo’s response ended up going viral. Fans, and even the reporter who interviewed the actresses, has commented on the meme.

The Press Tour Has Become Known For Being An Emotional One

Erivo first came to prominence after appearing in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple in 2015. She would then transition into films, notably playing Harriet Tubman in the 2019 biopic Harriet.

The actress has gained further recognition playing Elphaba in the film adaptation of Wicked. Based on the Broadway musical and the Gregory Maguire book of the same name, the story explores the early life of the Wicked Witch of the West, who Erivo’s character is set to become, from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Ariana Grande – YouTube...

Though the movie came in slightly under initial $120M domestic estimates, Universal's Wicked still looks set for a very impressive opening weekend at the worldwide box office.

Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the hit Broadway musical took in $117 million from U.S. theaters and $48 million overseas for a global debut of $165 million.

This gives the critically-acclaimed feature the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway show (ahead of Les Miserables' $103M); the 6th biggest opening weekend of 2024 worldwide; and the 4th biggest global opening weekend ever for a musical (ahead of The Little Mermaid's $163.6M).

Ridley Scott's Gladiator II also opened on Friday (Glicked? Wickiator?), but hasn't performed quite as well with an expected $60 million domestic bow. The sword-and-sandals sequel has been playing overseas since last week, however, and has now passed $131 million across 63 international markets for an estimated $200M+ global haul.

Wicked tells...

The highly anticipated Wicked has finally landed in theaters, and it joins the growing list of the many movie adaptations of L. Frank Baum's celebrated novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Throughout his life, Baum released 13 Oz novels, and since his death in 1919, further stories have been written by his descendants. The release of the first installment of Baum's Oz series in 1900 marked the beginning of one of the most popular and acclaimed franchises in entertainment history.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has since extended far beyond the gates of the Emerald City, with a surprising amount of Wizard of Oz movies, cartoons, and television series depicting the adventures of Dorothy Gale and her friends. The 1939 movie starring a young Judy Garland, set the stage for the franchise today; a magical and captivating adventure that enchants viewers in different ways. Every movie based on The Wizard of Oz brings something new to the story,...

Spoiler Alert !!!Spoiler Warning for Wicked (2024)

Universal’s 2024 Wicked movie based on the book by Gregory Maguire, finally hit the theaters almost two decades later, since the musical began its Tony Award-winning run on Broadway. Released on November 22, 2024, Jon M. Chu’s highly-anticipated film featured Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.

A still from Wicked (2024) | image: Universal Pictures

Meanwhile, although the early reception of the film has been positive, Jon M. Chu’s Wicked, like any other adaptation, featured a few changes from the original Broadway show. While the entire score in the new film remained the same with a few variations, the 2024 movie featured the biggest change in terms of Elphaba and Fiyero’s first meeting.

Fiyero and Elphaba’s First Meeting in the Broadway Musical

Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West has been one...

Audiences unfamiliar with the original book and musical may have missed that the Lion, Tin Man & Scarecrow appeared unnamed in Jon M. Chu's Wicked.

Since Wicked is a reimagined prequel of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, it is only expected those three Ozian characters would appear. However, their roles and relationships with characters like Elphaba, Glinda, and the Wicked Witch of the East would be heavily recontextualized.

Dorothy's three companions managed to appear in Wicked, whether audiences realized it or not. However, plenty of foreshadowing will make them wonder why and how they did not see it sooner.

Read full article on The Direct.

The concept of a prequel is a well-worn one in literature. Not only did authors like J.R.R. Tolkien further flesh out their characters and worlds in books set before previously published adventures, but L. Frank Baum, author of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," wrote "Ozma of Oz," the first prequel to be set in that particular universe. In cinema, however, the concept took a while to catch on, and it wasn't really until "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace" that the cinematic prequel became popular. To say that the process had some bumps in the road would be an understatement; "The Phantom Menace" and its two sequels were loudly reviled upon their initial release, with everything from their characters to their dialogue to their visual aesthetic taken to task for not looking or feeling enough like the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Despite George Lucas' claims that the films...

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Wicked.

Director Jon M. Chu explains his intention behind Dorothy's cameo in Wicked and how it affects Part 2, scheduled for release on November 21, 2025. Adapted from the Tony-winning Broadway show of the same name, Wicked is a two-part epic musical that tells the story of the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), and her friendship with the Good Witch of the East, Glinda (Ariana Grande), with Jeff Goldblum starring as Oz. The opening sequence along with the film's marketing features Dorothy despite her not being in the Broadway version.

Chu discusses with Screen Rant about the inclusion of Dorothy and the role she plays in Wicked. The director revealed that her "presence is important" because Dorothy "plays a significant role in what will happen" and how the Wicked movie fits into The Wonderful Wizard of Oz story, teasing that the Texas...

Spoilers for "Wicked" follow.

Jon M. Chu's new musical fantasy "Wicked," which is officially called "Wicked: Part I," according to the title card, is based on the hit 2003 Broadway show that was, in turn, based in the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire. The novel, in itself, was a reimagination of L. Frank Baum's 1900 kid-lit classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," but Maguire took his book's primary inspiration from Victor Fleming's 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," arguably the most famous movie of all time. In making an 85-year cycle from the screen, to the page, to the stage, and then back to the screen, "Wicked" retains a lot of the iconography and basic aesthetics of Fleming's film and repackages them for a modern sensibility. 

Some of what audiences will see in "Wicked" will feel natural, as the look and feel of Oz has bled into the mass subconsciousness,...

When is the Wicked Sing-Along Version Coming Out in Theaters? - Main Image

The highly-anticipated film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Wicked is taking the world by storm as long-time fans have been looking forward to seeing it come to the big screen.

While it only covered Act One, the film will feature some of the popular songs from the musical and you might be wondering whether you could watch a version where the musical numbers have subtitled lyrics. Fortunately, it will happen sooner than you might think.

When is the Release Date of the Wicked Sing-Along Version?

It was recently announced that the sing-along version of Wicked will be released in theaters on December 25, a month after the film's premiere.

The interaction version will be available in roughly 1,000 North American theaters. The exact locations and showtimes will be unveiled at a later date.

It is unknown yet whether...

This article contains spoilers for "Wicked."

L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" stands as one of the most adapted novels ever published. As early as 1908 — practically the dawn of cinema — "Oz" was being translated to the screen, and the titular character of the Wizard of Oz has appeared in each of those adaptations. As such, the Wizard is a character who's been interpreted in a variety of ways, given that he's been portrayed by actors ranging from Richard Pryor, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, Vincent D'Onofrio, and James Franco. When it comes to the portrayal of the Wizard in the new film version of "Wicked," two actors in particular leap to mind: Frank Morgan, who played the Wizard in 1939's "The Wizard of Oz," and Joel Grey, who played him in the original stage production of "Wicked."

When Jeff Goldblum was announced to be taking over the...

Alright, Wicked fans lets talk about this witchy cast! With Emerald City gleaming just around the corner, Wicked is set to hit theaters on November 22, and were here to give you the inside scoop on whos who in Oz. If you loved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz or the Broadway phenomenon, get ready because this two-part movie extravaganza is taking us for a ride into the origin stories of our favorite Oz icons from the misunderstood Elphaba to the fabulously extra Galinda. And this is just Act One! Wicked Part Two will debut next fall, bringing even more magic, mayhem, and maybe a flying monkey or two.