The movie Wicked Part 1 starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande was a movie experience that I surely will never forget. With only a 145 million dollar budget, the magic brought on the big screen was an experience that would astonish an audience. Now, the movie was made after the original Wicked Broadway show, which was created in 2003 by Winnie Holzman. The Broadway show was adapted from Gregor Maguire’s novel Wicked: The Life And Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, a huge success in 1995. The experience shown in New York brings the musical experience of Wicked to life with amazing performances and a powerful orchestra. Although the big screen version of  Wicked is exceptional, does it capture the magic that the Broadway version of 2003 conveys? Well here’s the scoop: 

The musical approach to me is the most significant part because it is what makes Wicked so popular and stand out from other Broadway musicals..  Wicked Part 1 on the big screen has already gotten tons of five-star reviews talking about how people like Ariana Grande’s singing one of the most iconic signs in the Wicked universe: “Popular”, which had gotten a lot of attention. However, the Broadway musical focused on the live performances of the cast, adding some dialogue within the musical as well. The approach makes the musical lean more into comedy and realism than the big screen display. When I saw Wicked in New York in 2019, I enjoyed the feeling of life and vibrance that was brought on the big stage and how everything was more fast-paced, but the main elements of the movie such as the plot and dialogue got across, not to mention the whole story came across in the show maintaining creativity of the artistry even in the 2 hours. 

Now, the musical approach was amazing, (I give credit to the producer Marc Platt), but the question everyone wants to know is if the big-screen Wicked captured the same magic as the Broadway version. I say no, but it could have potential if the big screen focused more on all the old music, but maybe they incorporate new music of their own. Even though traditional is mostly the best, new music in my taste could bring a possibility of a better musician and even have some contemporary songs. Those songs could become the next hit on Spotify and could even be trending, but still keep all the regular aspects of the comfort of the plot. 

Overall, if you do have 15 dollars to spare, I would recommend seeing Wicked on the big screen because of the acting and the work that the team has put into Wicked – if you are a fan of the musical or even someone who just wants to put  “watching a new movie” on their bucket list for Christmas!