The Wicked film adaptation tends to stay pretty true to the original Broadway version of the musical. However, there are still some notable differences between the 2024 movie and the stage production. Here are some key examples of the changes made in the movie:
The movie version of Wicked is split into two parts. The reason the movie is longer is because of the extra plot and character development. The first movie iteration of Wicked is over 2.5 hours long, the entire length of the Broadway musical.
The only new song added to the film is “Wizomania.” In the musical, the Wizomania sequence happens within the song “One Short Day.” However, in the movie, the Wizomania sequence is expanded and becomes a song within a song and provides further details on the history of the Wizard and Grimmerie.
The movie’s “Defying Gravity” sequence is 16 minutes long. Meanwhile, on Broadway, it lasts only six minutes. While there are no lyrical changes between the stage production and the film versions of “Defying Gravity,” there are more dramatic elements added within the sequence such as Elphaba and Glinda trying to escape The Emerald City by hot air balloon.
In the musical, Glinda and Elphaba become last-minute roommates because of an administration error made at the Shiz. However, in the movie, Elphaba is not a student. Instead, when Elphaba is dropping her sister off at the school, their father asks Elphaba to stay behind to act as Nessarose’s caretaker. This is the reasoning the movie uses for the last-minute roommateship between Glinda and Elphaba.
In the musical, Fiyero and Elphaba meet when Fiyero’s rickshaw almost runs her over. His explanation? “Maybe the driver saw green and thought it meant go.”
In the 2024 movie, Fiyero has a bit more finesse when meeting Elphaba. Instead, he meets her while riding horseback and stumbling upon her. This time, his explanation is that she “must have blended in with the foliage.” He tries to right his wrong and offers her a ride.
The Wicked stage version was not permitted legally to use any visual elements from the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. That’s why Dorothy and the crew were shadowed, there were no ruby slippers, and definitely no version of Glinda’s iconic pink dress would be allowed.
Things differed in the 2024 film, as rights seemed to be given to the filmmakers to use iconic imagery such as the ruby slippers, Glinda’s bubblegum pink gown, etc.
In the stage production, Elphaba’s childhood is only mentioned briefly. However, in the movie, there are scenes that go back to Elphaba’s upbringing. For example, in the song “No One Mourns The Wicked,” we’re taken back to a scene of the childhood versions of Elphaba and Nessarose. Here, the sibling relationship is shown on a deeper level and we also get a glimpse of the bullying Elphaba goes through because of her green skin.
Dulcibear (voiced by Sharon D. Clarke) is Elphaba’s nanny. While this character does not appear in the stage production, she is introduced in the movie adaptation. Dulcibear takes care of Elphaba after her father is horrified to find that his daughter was born green.
