- The new movie adaptation of Wicked hit theaters on November 22
- The film stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
- Fans have gone wild for the movie on social media
It seems as though the cast and crew of Wicked Couldn’t Be Happier – as fans have showered the movie with praise (and said Thank Goodness that they only have to wait a year for Part 2!).
In a wickedly good opening weekend (okay, we’ll stop with the puns now), fans rushed to theaters across the globe to catch the likes of Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey in the movie.
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, Erivo stars as the Elphaba to Grande’s Glinda – and their performances are proving to be Popular (last one, we promise!) amongst audiences.
Paired with Bailey’s charming Fiyero, fans are hailing the movie a hit – and took to social media to voice their opinions.
‘Give Cynthia her flowers!’
While she may not already be a household name, Wicked is set to make Erivo a star – as fans have gone wild for her portrayal of Elphaba, aka. the Wicked Witch of the West.
“Give Cynthia Erivo her flowers already,” wrote one via Twitter/X. “Her portrayal of Elphaba is so unique, vulnerable and raw. It speaks to everyone who has ever felt othered in their life. Her character arc from part one to part two is going to be INSANE. Thank you, Cynthia – I love your Elphie.”
Another continued, “It is impossible not to feel the weight of the world whenever Cynthia Erivo is on screen. I long believed her performance in Wicked would be great but, ultimately, she blew me away. She makes the entire movie feel grounded even when it goes off the path.”
Of course, Grande already had a legion of fans – who showed up to support their favorite singer, and were blown away by her performance.
“I think what makes Ariana’s performance so compelling is that you see how she’s literally HAUNTED by the fact that not only is her best friend dead, but she knows she is in ways complicit,” one follower wrote. “No One Mourns The Wicked is such a difficult and complicated moment for her. I’m still in awe.”
Someone else added, “The fact Ariana CHOSE to sing live for the Wicked movie… at some point y’all are gonna have to accept she is on a completely different planet than most when it comes to REAL talent.”
It was universally agreed that the combination of the actors was practically perfect.
“Wicked was everything. I walked into the theater as an Ariana stan and I walked out as a Wicked fan,” said another user. “Cynthia Erivo, you’re a legend. And Ariana, I legit can’t even believe what I saw. I forgot you were you. Every second you popped on screen I was like s***, that’s Glinda.”
And others noted that their recent press interviews make sense when you see their chemistry in the film.
“You can’t even laugh about Ariana and Cynthia being dramatic anymore after you watch, because you can genuinely tell Wicked IS that serious for them,” noted one. “The love they have for the project really radiated, like… wow.”
‘More chemistry than a meth lab’
Wicked wouldn’t be Wicked without Fiyero also in the mix – and Bailey’s performance as the prince has been applauded.
“I really cannot overstate how sexy Jonathan Bailey is in WICKED. It is deranged. His sex appeal should be a controlled substance,” said one fan. “He needs to teach classes to the boys. Exquisite management of his charisma. The way he underpins overt confident flirtation with some softness, a tinge of tenderness that you want to peel back, holding it back from lasciviousness… Jonathan Bailey is an artist.”
Another noted the similarities to this role and his portrayal of Anthony Bridgerton, stating, “Just watched Wicked. It seems Jonathan Bailey might be addicted to playing men who meet women who seemingly detest him but later fall in love with him while he’s riding a horse through the woods.”
While others said he has “more chemistry than a meth lab”, another claimed that the attraction was so great that “I think we also started to connect over my 3D glasses”.
“Jonathan Bailey needs to open a school of chemistry because more men need what he has,” noted someone else. “Genuinely, why did he have chemistry with every single person in Wicked? What is he doing? How is this possible? Someone stop him (don’t).”
‘A life changing movie experience’
All in all, it seems that Wicked is a triumph, and many left the theater a shell of who they were when they walked in.
“I am not the same person I was three hours ago,” joked one. Another said, “This entire Defying Gravity sequence is gonna stick with me for the rest of my life. A life changing movie experience.”
Many noted that the adaptation has come at quite a “timely” moment in politics.
“Wicked has always been political and Jon M. Chu’s adaptation is more timely than ever, emphasizing the silence and complicity of those like Glinda in a system built for them, compared to someone like Elphaba – villainized for being the other who doesn’t conform,” explained one audience member.
Another said, “Not to be the friend that’s too woke but Wicked came at the perfect time. The villain being a man with no real powers and uses a minority as a scapegoat for his lack of innovation and vision is very appropriate.”
That being said, the movie is just a movie at the end of the day – but one that will have lasting memories for a lot of people.
“Wicked is an absolute triumph and the greatest musical film adaptation ever made,” claimed a final fan. “It’s a masterclass in movie musical filmmaking with pitch-perfect direction by Jon Chu. The world of Oz has never been this vibrant, this detailed, and this lively since 1939. Many tears were shed.”
