How Wicked (2024) Addresses the Power of Propaganda

The Wizard of Oz is a cinematic classic that is still being referenced to this day. It’s also one of the few movies that refuses to get an official remake. However, it did inspire one of the most successful fan fictions of all time: Stephen Schwartz’s smash Broadway hit Wicked. And, it was also considered one of those unfilm-able concepts for a LONG time. That is, until Universal secured the rights with In The Heights and Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu. I didn’t have high expectations when I sat down in theaters, but what I saw made me realize that 2024’s Wicked is unlike any musical I’ve seen.

Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) is helping her sister Nessarose (played by Marissa Bode) move into Shiz University before she accidentally creates a spectacle with pure magic, drawing the attention of Madame Morrible (played by Michelle Yeoh). It secures a spot for herself at Shiz and an unexpected roommate/enemy Glinda (played by Ariana Grande), but eventually a trusted friendship is born. As Elphaba’s power grows, it gets the attention of the Wizard of Oz (played by Jeff Goldblum). Now Elphaba and Glinda go to meet the wizard in order for him to grant their heart’s desire.

I’ve heard rave reviews about Wicked’s music, acting and overall aesthetic along with Chu’s direction. So I won’t be wasting my time talking about them. Rather, I want to address something that really stood out to me in theaters. Something that became increasingly prevalent the longer I watched the movie. What would that be, you may ask? The power of popularity and propaganda. Whether we like it or not, we’re all judged by how different we are from our peers. Take Elphaba for example. She has green skin due to being born from infidelity. Throughout her childhood she was ruthlessly bullied by the other children for her appearance, something she has no control over. She was even neglected by her parents, who favored her normal-looking younger sister Nessarose. The only person who cared for her was her nanny who was a talking bear. Due to her childhood, Elphaba has an innate relation to animals and sees them as equal to people, something that will shape her entire character going forward.

Upon arriving at Shiz, Elphaba received more derision from her peers, especially from the materialistic and popular Glinda who was jealous that Elphaba was Madame Morrible’s pupil. Even though the two do become eventual friends, Elphaba’s very first friend at Shiz was actually Doctor Dillamond, a talking goat and one Shiz’s last animal professors. It’s through him where she learns about the injustices animals are facing in Oz. They’re not only losing their ability to speak, but are also being imprisoned and demeaned for human spectacle. Eventually, Dillamond himself is dragged out in chains during a class. This shocks Elphaba immensely and only strengthens her resolve to save the animals. 

After visiting the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City, Elphaba asks to use the Wizard’s spell book to help the animals. But after casting a spell on one of the Wizard’s monkeys causing it to painfully sprout wings, she wishes to undo the spell. However, it is here when both the Wizard and Madame Morrible reveal their true colors: that they were the ones who were behind the cruel treatment of animals. The very ones in power are the true villains behind the injustices witnessed. Elphaba vows to take a stand against them and free the animals from their cruel fate which leads perfectly into the metaphoric song “Defying Gravity”. After she flees from the Emerald City, it is both the Wizard and Madame Morrible who spread false rumors about Elphaba being a “Wicked Witch”. 

If you ask me, Wicked completely pulls the rug from our feet. The characters we’ve been rooting for in The Wizard of Oz and who are told to us as “heroes” are in reality defenders of the status quo. They go about purporting good and justice, but don’t stand up for what’s necessary. Although Elphaba could have used her wish with the Wizard to cure her green skin, she ultimately doesn’t. Rather, she wants to use it for a cause greater than herself. But because of her different appearance and her awakening against the status quo, she’s put in a position where she’ll be hated even long after her death. To me, that’s the sign of a true hero. Now you could argue that Glinda has taken on a more subversive role within Oz. But even after Elphaba’s watery end in The Wizard of Oz, Glinda refuses to refute her former friend’s public image. Some friend she turned out to be. 

I won’t lie when I said that I initially didn’t like Wicked. In fact, I was taking glances at my watch every 15 or so minutes (plus Ariana Grande playing a major character certainly didn’t help). But upon thinking and really analyzing the film for its core message, I realized something: it actually succeeds in conveying its message at a fundamental level. The bad guys are only bad because we’re told they’re bad and the good guys are only good because we’re told they’re good. It just goes to show how powerful propaganda is and how society always needs a scapegoat for their problems. While musical fans may enjoy Wicked for the songs and vocal performances from the cast, those who are less inclined towards musicals still have something to enjoy. It’s really no surprise when I say that Wicked did the impossible and defied all expectations.