Is Wicked Connected To 1939’s The Wizard Of Oz?

At first glance, it seems fairly obvious that Wicked is connected to the 1939 classic, The Wizard of Oz, yet the two films have a much more complicated relationship than it seems. Wicked is an upcoming movie musical, set for release on November 22, 2024. With a star-studded cast including Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, there is a lot to anticipate with the premiere of this movie. Plus, because of its musical origins, there is a passionate fanbase already eager to see the story on the big screen. Yet, newcomers may be confused about Wicked’s complex origins.

To understand the connections between Wicked and The Wizard of Oz, it is important to return to the movies’ beginnings. Before it was a movie musical or a Broadway musical, Wicked originated as a 1995 novel written by Gregory Maguire. Similarly, The Wizard of Oz did not start out as a film, but had its origins 40 years earlier with L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. These books are quite a bit different from their on-screen counterparts, which leads to the idea that Wicked is more inspired by The Wizard of Oz than connected to it.

Wicked Is Not Explicitly Connected To The Original Wizard Of Oz Movie

What Wicked Is Really About

Wicked is not a sequel or spinoff of The Wizard of Oz, but can be described as a revisionist account of Baum’s characters and settings. In this way, Wicked is inspired by Baum’s work, but does not necessarily attempt to continue it in any way. Maguire’s story is completely separate from Baum’s, although they share certain elements. For example, both Wicked and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz contain characters who are “The Wicked Witch of the West.” However, Baum’s version of this witch is vastly different from Maguire’s, who earns herself a name and a complex backstory.

Rather than telling the story of Dorothy Gale’s adventures in Oz, Maguire uses Wicked to explore the story of Elphaba, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire offers a dark and tragic backstory for the character, while also showing her life before Dorothy’s arrival in Oz. In particular, Wicked narrows in on the relationship between Elphaba and Galinda, commonly remembered as Glinda the Good. Wicked may use Baum’s characters and world, but Maguire expands both of these into much darker realms that explore prejudice, propaganda, and the power of nature versus nurture.

The Original Wicked Book & Musical Were Inspired By The Wizard Of Oz Movie

Wicked & The Wizard Of Oz’s Biggest Commonalities

Because Wicked was created after the release of the 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, the book and musical definitely take inspiration from the film as well as the book. Notably, The Wizard of Oz made many changes from Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, including the many colors of Oz and the appearance of certain characters. For example, Glinda and the Wicked Witch are much bigger parts of the movie than they are in the book. Wicked continue this change by focusing heavily on Galinda and Elphabawhile also making Dorothy a tiny part of the story.

For the most part, Wicked’s connections to The Wizard of Oz mainly have to do with visuals. Elphaba is just as green as she appears in The Wizard of Oz, although she lacks the warts and elongated chin of Margaret Hamilton. Furthermore, Galinda is characterized by her pink clothing and bubbly personality. Wicked also includes references to The Wizard of Oz through the use of Elphaba’s flying monkeys and the appearance of The Wizard. Ultimately, anyone who looks at Wicked would immediately think of The Wizard of Oz because of the stories’ shared colorful settings and characters.

How Wicked’s Story Is Different From 1939’s The Wizard Of Oz

What Wicked Adds To The Wizard Of Oz Universe

Of course, Wicked is also incredibly different from The Wizard of Oz. Wicked may use the familiar colors and settings of The Wizard of Oz, but they are painted in a distinctly different light. In Wicked, Oz is not as whimsical and happy as it seems in the 1939 movie. Through the eyes of Elphaba, audiences see the intense prejudice that exists in Ozespecially between different species. Where some Wicked cast members like Galinda and Fiyero have all the power, people like Elphaba and Boq are cast aside due to how they look and where they come from.

Ultimately, Wicked is not just a darker version of The Wizard of Oz. Maguire’s book shakes up Baum’s story completely by turning an antagonist into a hero and delving deep into the politics of Oz. On top of that, the Wicked musical puts a special focus on female friendship and the dangers that come from standing up for what you believe in. Wicked is certainly inspired by The Wizard of Oz, but the book, the musical, and the upcoming movie all show how something beautiful can be hiding something rotten underneath.