The 1939 'Wizard of Oz' is a Technicolor dream burned into our collective memory. So, when 'Wicked' arrives with its own version of Oz, it's fair to ask: is this a remake? The short answer is no. It's something far more interesting.
The Other Side of the Story
Instead of following
Dorothy Gale down the yellow brick road, 'Wicked' puts the spotlight on someone we thought we knew: the Wicked Witch of the West. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel, the story reimagines her life, giving her a name—Elphaba—and a complex backstory. It begins long before Dorothy's tornado touches down, chronicling Elphaba's journey from a misunderstood green-skinned girl to a powerful magic-user at Shiz University. Her roommate is the bubbly and popular Galinda, who will one day become Glinda the Good. 'Wicked' is not Dorothy’s story; it's the story of the two most famous witches in Oz, and how their unlikely friendship was tested and ultimately shaped the world we only saw a sliver of.
Re-Framing the Villain
The 1939 film gave us a one-dimensional villain who cackled, melted, and wanted a pair of shoes. 'Wicked' dismantles that entirely. Elphaba isn't evil; she’s an idealist. She's a passionate student who discovers the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not a benevolent leader but a fraudulent, power-hungry politician who maintains control by persecuting a minority group: the talking Animals. Elphaba's so-called 'wickedness' is actually her defiance against the Wizard's corrupt regime. She doesn’t want to terrorize Munchkins; she wants to liberate the oppressed. Her journey is that of a revolutionary, branded a public enemy by a government that uses propaganda to control the narrative. As Glinda says at the story's start, confirming the witch's death, there's more to the story than the public knows.
Where Dorothy's Adventure Fits In
So, what about Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion? They are still part of the story, but their adventure is a subplot in Elphaba’s much larger life. The 'Wicked' narrative runs before, during, and after the events of 'The Wizard of Oz'. In fact, the story of 'Wicked' provides the origin stories for Dorothy's famous companions. The Scarecrow and the Tin Man are characters we meet in Elphaba's life who are transformed into the figures Dorothy later encounters. Dorothy's arrival in Oz and her quest to see the Wizard happen during a period when Elphaba is in hiding and Glinda is navigating the politics of the Emerald City. Dorothy isn't the hero of this story; she's a catalyst, a pawn in a much larger game whose actions have massive, unintended consequences for the witches.
A World Reimagined, Not Replaced
Director Jon M. Chu and his team have been clear that the film pays homage to the 1939 classic without copying it. You'll see familiar sights like the Emerald City and the yellow brick road, but with a new, distinct visual style. The film is filled with 'Easter eggs' for fans of the original movie, from musical cues that echo 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' to subtle costume details. For instance, while Nessarose's magical shoes are silver like in the original L. Frank Baum books, they might be presented in a ruby-lined box, nodding to the iconic slippers from the film. These references aren't just for fun; they serve to connect the two worlds, showing how the Oz we thought we knew was just one version of the truth. It's a visitation, not a retelling—a chance to see the same land through a different, greener lens.
