While there are times when we dance alone, everyone eventually needs a partner. Wicked, the highly anticipated film adaptation of the longstanding musical, hit theaters last November. For this first-time viewer of either, experiencing its magic was the movie highlight of the year.
With a star-studded cast, led by Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba (who will later be known as the Wicked Witch of the West), and Ariana Grande as Glinda, Wicked serves as a retelling of the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. It’s a Wicked Witch of the West origin story, if you will. The story begins just after the events of The Wizard of Oz, in the aftermath of Dorothy splashing water on the witch. News travels throughout Oz that the witch is dead, and it’s the responsibility of Glinda the Good to inform the Ozians of this good news.
Upon her visit to Munchkinland, one of the town’s residents asks Glinda to confirm rumors that she and Elphaba not only knew each other, but were indeed friends. Glinda hesitates, then begins to tell the story of how their “paths crossed” while they were students at Shiz University. The rest of the movie is a flashback to their time at Shiz where Glinda, the popular darling of the campus, is forced to share her dorm room with Elphaba, the green-skinned outcast.
Their relationship is the crux of the movie, and while there have been many memorable friendships throughout cinematic history, I’m hard-pressed to find a duo more heart-warming (heart-wrenching?) than Elphaba and Glinda. The two have undeniable chemistry, which is only heightened by the way their singing voices seamlessly meld during “Defying Gravity,” the movie’s final song. A truly magical cinematic moment.
I am trying my best to relay information without spoiling it for those who have yet to see it because this movie truly is that good. The best endorsement of Wicked is its lasting impression. Wicked is now available to stream, and my wife and I have since watched it over 20 times, each viewing just as good as the first. You can be sure we’ll be skipping 2025’s Black Friday shopping to see part two when it’s released in theaters this November. (Rated PG for "some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material." Stream on Apple TV+, Prime Video, and other streaming platforms.)
About the Author
Daniel Jung is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary and an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. He lives in Northern California, where he serves as an associate pastor at .