“Good News!” the first “Wicked” trailer has finally dropped! Welcome to MsMojo, and today, we’re breaking down the newly released first look at the upcoming “Wicked” movie, part one.
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00:00 "Woo! You're green."
00:02 "I am."
00:05 Good news, the first Wicked trailer has finally dropped.
00:08 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're breaking down the newly released
00:12 first look at the upcoming Wicked movie, Part 1.
00:16 If you're unfamiliar with the musical, there will be spoilers ahead.
00:19 "Don't be afraid."
00:20 "I'm not afraid. It's the wizard who should be afraid of me."
00:27 Number 5. A glimpse into Oz.
00:30 Okay, who didn't squeal at that striking opening shot of Elphaba's smoking witch's hat?
00:35 It's a strong start, but what could it mean?
00:37 "The best way to bring folks together..."
00:41 "Something has changed within me."
00:45 "...is to give them a real good enemy."
00:48 Fans of the musical, or even The Wizard of Oz,
00:50 know that the character has an unfortunate encounter with a bucket of water.
00:54 So could this be a foretelling of the film's conclusion?
00:57 We also get glimpses of the elaborate and impressive costumes that are certainly
01:01 reminiscent of the show, but showcase more intricate details beyond what the stage could
01:05 fully reveal. We follow a mysterious figure riding horseback across a fantastical Oz landscape,
01:11 and catch a first peek at Elphaba's famous flying monkey, possibly Chistery, crashing out of a
01:16 window. The train journey to Oz gives us a whirlwind tour of the bustling Emerald City,
01:21 perhaps teasing hints of one short day.
01:23 "Every way that you look in the city, there's something exquisite.
01:29 You'll want to visit before the day's through."
01:34 There's also a gorgeous shot of Ariana Grande's Glinda resting her head on Elphaba's shoulder
01:38 in a poppy field that feels like a nostalgic nod to the 1939 film. We also couldn't talk
01:44 about the Ozian settings without discussing what appears to be a shot from Glinda's wedding.
01:49 Yes, you heard that right. Fans of the musical know that Glinda and Fiyero's engagement comes
01:54 as quite a surprise to the would-be groom, and they actually never make it down the aisle.
01:58 "Though it is, I admit, the tiniest bit, unlike I anticipated."
02:08 Yet in the trailer, we see Glinda in what looks like a pink cave, seemingly wearing a wedding
02:13 gown while holding a pink bouquet. She's also surrounded by yellow butterflies, and we guess
02:18 wedding guests? Some see yellow butterflies as symbols of transformation, rebirth, and hope,
02:23 so perhaps this frame isn't exactly what it seems.
02:26 "Not simply, 'cause giving your dreams, it's strange, but it seems a little, well, complicated."
02:36 Number 4. Storyline and plot points. We know that the upcoming Wicked movie is split into two parts.
02:44 However, how it's being divided is still up for speculation. In the trailer, we see Elphaba and
02:49 Glinda arrive at Shiz University and meet each other for the first time.
02:52 "You're green." "I am."
02:56 There's also that unforgettable moment at the Ozdust Ballroom where Elphaba first dons her
03:01 iconic hat. You know, the one Glinda gifts her as a prank in the show. It seems like this retelling
03:06 will dig deeper into Elphaba's training sessions with Madame Morrible, who's played by Michelle
03:11 Yeoh. We see the student-teacher dynamic in action, with the headmistress offering Elphaba
03:16 some advice on how to wield her powers. "Once you learn to harness your emotions,
03:21 the sky's the limit." We also see her teach Elphaba what appears to be a levitation spell,
03:29 which may foreshadow a significant turning point later in the movie.
03:32 "Something just takes over me, and when it does, bad things happen."
03:38 As we briefly mentioned before, it looks like we're in for a trip to the Emerald City with
03:42 our iconic duo. We can't wait to see how they bring the showstopper One Short Day to life
03:47 on the silver screen. "One short day in the Emerald City,
03:52 one short day to have a lifetime of fun." Did you also spot Dorothy Toto and the gang?
03:59 In the musical, Dorothy's adventures mostly take place offstage, so we're intrigued to see if and
04:04 how they might expand her role in the movie and connect the two stories even more. "Bring her to
04:10 me." The trailer wraps up with scenes of Elphaba stepping into her power, including that iconic
04:16 defying gravity ending, where Madame Morrible, Glinda, and others watch her take flight.
04:21 Since the number serves as the Act 1 finale in the musical,
04:24 many have wondered if it will do the same for Part 1 of the movie.
04:33 Number 3. Character introductions. Back in April 2023, the movie's director,
04:38 John M. Chu, gave us our first glimpse of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.
04:45 Okay, they were a bit distant and in dim lighting, but it still got us all kinds of excited.
04:50 Now the trailer shows us some of their co-stars. "The best way to bring folks together..."
04:56 "Something has changed within me." "...is to give them a real good anime."
05:02 It kicks off with Jeff Goldblum, who plays the wizard, in voiceover, and later we catch quick
05:07 glimpses of him in character, too. Michelle Yeoh looks fierce as Madame Morrible — in the best
05:13 way, of course. Were we expecting anything else? In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment when Elphaba
05:18 and Glinda first meet, you can spot SNL's Bowen Yang, who plays Glinda's friend Fanny, on one
05:23 side of her. Meanwhile, Harlot's actor Bronwyn James, who plays another friend called Shenshen,
05:28 stands on her other side. You'll recognize these names if you've read Gregory Maguire's novel.
05:34 "Something is not the same." "Something just takes over me."
05:39 Also, keep an eye out for Elphaba's sister Nessarose at the Ozdust Ballroom.
05:44 She's played by Marissa Bode, predominantly a stage actor, who, like her character,
05:48 uses a wheelchair. Standing just behind her is Ethan Slater, best known for the Spongebob
05:53 Squarepants the Broadway musical, who's playing Bok. Now you'll really want to pay close attention
05:58 here because at around the 29-second mark, Jonathan Bailey of Bridgerton fame appears as Fierro,
06:05 another S.H.I.S. student who starts out shallow and carefree, but gains depth through his
06:10 relationship with Elphaba. Keala Settle, from The Greatest Showman, will play a new character
06:14 named Miss Cottle. Though not spotted in this trailer, we hope to see her in the next one.
06:19 "This is me. Look out 'cause here I come. And I'm marching on to the beat I drum."
06:29 2. Iconic References
06:32 Let's talk about Glinda's wardrobe. The trailer gives us a glimpse of several fabulous looks,
06:37 but we want to focus on that pink dress. Glinda's bubble entrance in the musical is iconic,
06:43 and Grande's dress during this scene seems to nod to both the stage show's gown
06:47 and Billy Burke's attire from the 1939 movie. But of course, it has been Glinda-fied in its
06:53 own unique way. Remember the shot of Elphaba and Glinda in the poppy field? Another frame
07:02 shows four individuals dashing through rows of flowers, which reminds us of this moment from
07:06 the MGM classic. Some say this could be part of the opening number, with the figures rushing
07:23 to spread the good news about the witch's death. Now about those ruby shoes.
07:28 "Give me back my slippers. I'm the only one that knows how to use them. They're no use to you.
07:32 Give them back to me. Give them back. Keep tight inside of them. Their magic must be very powerful
07:38 or she wouldn't want them so badly." If you can take your eyes off the adorable
07:42 Toto for a second, you'll see that there's silver in this version. Also, where can we get a pair?
07:48 Despite Judy Garland's ruby pair being world-famous, both L. Frank Baum's The Wizard
07:52 of Oz and Maguire's 1995 novel describe the shoes as silver. They also lead us to another iconic
07:59 movie scene where Dorothy and her pals, let's pause to appreciate that impressively realistic
08:04 cowardly lion, first meet the wizard, or rather the version of himself he presents to the world.
08:09 "I am Oz, the great and powerful. Who are you?"
08:18 While the 1939 projection was groundbreaking for its time, this wizard has a higher-tech update
08:23 more aligned with the stage show's technology. Oh, and let's not forget the flying monkeys.
08:28 They might have a bigger role in Wicked than in The Wizard of Oz. Their blue wings seem to be
08:32 inspired by their on-stage counterparts. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
08:38 and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified for
08:44 occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
08:49 and switch on notifications. Number one, musical moments. This is a musical, so let's talk about
08:56 the music. Barely five seconds in, we're treated to a snippet of Erivo's rendition of the show's
09:01 show-stopping number, Defying Gravity. "Something has changed within me." "Is to give 'em a real
09:08 good anime." We continue to get more fragments of the song throughout, intertwined with excerpts
09:14 of dialogue. "Something is not the same." While Defying Gravity is the main track we hear,
09:20 there are seemingly nods to other tunes as well. We've pinpointed where we think One Short Day
09:25 might slot in. However, given that Glinda makes her grand entrance by bubble at the start of the
09:30 show, it's probable that these shots represent No One Mourns the Wicked. Alternatively, they could
09:35 be from the reprise at the top of Act 2 or the final scene, where the song is partially reprised
09:40 as part of the finale. Still, the moment that sends tingles up and down our spines is this
09:45 exchange between our two leads. "Don't be afraid." "I'm not afraid. It's the wizard who should be
09:53 afraid of me." Anyone who has seen the show, or perhaps caught Idina Menzel in Kristen Chenoweth's
09:58 performance at the 2004 Tony Awards, will recognize it as the lead-in to the iconic number.
10:04 "Something has changed within me. Something is not the same."
10:11 Our tingles barely have a moment to subside before they hit us with Arivo's take on perhaps
10:16 one of the most famous riffs in modern musical history. That riff will replay in our minds until
10:22 Thanksgiving 2024, when Part 1 of Wicked is currently slated to be released. The Wizard,
10:27 we'll see you then. What are your initial thoughts on the first glimpses of the Wicked movie?
10:37 Do you think it's going to be wonderful or wicked? Let us know in the comments.
10:42 "Once you learn to harness your emotions, the sky's the limit."
10:48 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo,
10:52 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
10:58 [Music]