via Filmgrab
“Wicked” pt. 1, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, was undeniably the media’s favorite film of 2024. The film adaptation of one of Broadway’s longest-running shows, having opened in 2003 and not yet closed, was responsible for one of the most memorable press tours of the 2020s. “Wicked” took Fall of 2024 by storm, with the film’s soundtrack debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 Charts, the highest chart debut in the history of stage-to-screen musical adaptations. A whirlwind of pink and green branding was inescapable for months, and the film’s soundtrack swept social media. The vocals, performance quality, set design, and overall execution of the adaptation were incredible, earning high ratings from critics and an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, the film only won 2 Oscars — Best Costume Design and Best Production Design — out of its 10 nominations. “Wicked” lost mainly to “Anora,” “The Brutalist” and “Emilia Pérez,” all of which received more critical responses than “Wicked” and fell hundreds of millions of dollars short of its box office earnings, which were approximately $733.8 million. So, if “Wicked” performed better on paper, then why did it lose?
“Wicked’s” PR campaign was a strange one. It gave us the “holding space” meme, which stemmed from an unexplainable interview in which Grande, Erivo and reporter Tracy E. Gilchrist were all confused and continuously confusing each other. Later, Grande told the BBC of her perspective during the interview: “I [was] like, ‘What the f–ck is any of this interaction? What does it mean?’ I didn’t know what it means, and I’m just trying to comfort Cynthia, she’s very emotional.” Very emotional is right— the “Wicked” press tour left many fans lost and concerned about Grande and Erivo’s well-being after their frequent, and often unexpected, tears in interviews. In nearly every press interaction, Grande and Erivo were teary-eyed. Fans were baffled— what about “Wicked” is so sensitive for them? “We’re trying our best, but there’s a lot of emotional things that have happened,” said Erivo, for Entertainment Tonight.
While the public may never be privy to the cast’s experience while filming, their emotion did translate to the screen. “Wicked,” as a musical adaptation, is impressive and groundbreaking for the world of musical theater for endless reasons, including it being the first ever performance of Wicked to cast a wheelchair user as Nessarose, a revolutionary step for the disability community within the acting scene. The art, costuming, and casting were all incredible for the film, and it stayed true to the Broadway play.
“Wicked” checked off all of the boxes for an excellent adaptation, and it performed incredibly well— except for at the Oscars. The Academy may not have liked it, but fans and critics worldwide sure did. Rest assured, “Wicked, Part Two” will be in theaters November 21, 2025. “Wicked” might’ve lost at the Oscars 2025, but it’ll be back in 2026 for round two.