Ever since it debuted on Broadway in autumn 2003, theater fans the world over have expressed avid enthusiasm at the idea of a Wicked adaptation one day arriving in theaters.
Luckily, as seen with the recent release of Wicked, the ensuing adaptation has more than lived up to fans’ soaring expectations. As visually stupendous as it is narratively engrossing, Wicked has charmed almost every viewer fortunate enough to see it, spelling out the first in a two-part film series guaranteed to leave audiences laughing, crying, and humming their way home to the tune of “Defying Gravity.”
Of course, while audiences have fallen in love with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera’s on-screen portrayals of Elphaba and Galinda respectively, it’s worth pointing out how many other unforgettable witches have graced the screen prior to Wicked. From vampire-slaying high school students to musically-inclined sea witches, here are some of our favorite fictional witches we’ve seen in film and television yet.
A logical companion piece to Wicked, The Wizard of Oz continues to dazzle viewers nearly a century after its initial release. In addition to its obvious influence on the larger pop culture landscape, The Wizard of Oz also deserves attention for Margaret Hamilton’s cackling portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West. Setting the standard for fiction’s stereotypical witch, Hamilton hands in the definitive incarnation of a power-obsessed sorceress within The Wizard of Oz, terrifying viewers today just as effectively as she had in 1939.
Imagine how short the Harry Potter series might have been without the presence of Harry’s dependably intelligent best friend, Hermione Granger. The most precocious student in her Gryffindor friend group, Hermione’s logical mindset and preternatural magical abilities proved eminently valuable on each of her adventures with Ron and Harry. Whether solving the mystery behind the Chamber of Secrets, impersonating the psychopathic Bellatrix Lestrange, or jumping back in time with the help of a Time-Turner, Hermione’s clear contributions to Harry’s war against Voldemort cannot be overstated.
Disney has no shortage of colorful spellcasters, from the beauty-obsessed Evil Queen of Snow White to the youth-conscious Gothel of Tangled. For as many evil witches as Disney has produced, however, viewers continue to single out The Little Mermaid’s Ursula as the most memorable of the bunch. Commanding every scene she appears within like a charismatic singer taking to the stage, Ursula’s rich voice and Machiavellian plot to secure Atlantica under her rule make her a villain we simply can’t get enough of.
More so even than the aforementioned Ursula, the Sanderson Sisters have taken on a life of their own as a well-loved Disney staple as iconic as Jack Skellington or Cruella de Vil. Making their debut in 1993’s fan-favorite Hocus Pocus, each of the Sanderson trio remain indelible creations in their own right, whether discussing the canine-like Mary, the absent-minded Sarah, or the iron-fisted Winifred. But it’s when all three witches are together that true magic happens on-screen, unleashing a tidal wave of slapstick, constant bickering, and more than a few catchy musical numbers.
Jessica Lange always managed to steal the spotlight when it came to her various characters in American Horror Story. Yet even then, there’s something special about Coven’s Fiona Goode. The egotistical, self-centered, almost sociopathic Supreme Witch of her generation, Fiona’s cold, callous, and ambitious nature make Cersei Lannister or Liv Soprano seem tame and maternal in comparison. Haphazardly killing any rivals that step in her way, Fiona’s increasingly desperate plot to obtain immortality make her a force to be reckoned with, with not even her daughter Cordelia entirely safe from her clutches.
When she was first introduced, Willow Rosenberg appeared as little more than Buffy’s plucky sidekick – a reliable if somewhat unremarkable secondary character meant to fill out Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s ensemble cast. With each passing season, however, Willow became more and more of a three-dimensional personality, growing into an able-bodied vampire-fighter alongside her teenage best friend. Using magic and spellcraft to seize control of her destiny and overcome her initially withdrawn personality, Willow’s transformation from gawky high school student into powerful sorceress provides Buffy with one of its most endearing storylines.
Since debuting in the pages of Archie Comics, Sabrina Spellman has become a stylistic successor of sorts to such iconic spellcasters as the Wicked Witch of the West and Maleficent. Trading in a pointed hat and black robe for preppy outfits and a more relatable personality, each of Sabrina’s television appearances have helped bring to life Greendale’s most famous witchcraft enthusiast. Unsurprisingly then, the resulting TV sitcom adequately lived up to its comic book counterpart, adequately retaining the heart and spirit of the original Sabrina the Teenage Witch comic series. With Melissa Joan Hart casting a spell over audiences as the fun-loving title character, Sabrina the Teenage Witch helped reinvent wiccan folklore for an entirely new generation, thanks in large part to Sabrina’s endlessly enjoyable presence on-screen.
