“Wicked”, Oscars, and the Story Over the Rainbow

What is the “Wicked” film about?

The “Wicked” movie (Part One released November 2024) is based on the Broadway musical Wicked, which itself is inspired by the book Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.

Storyline of Wicked: It’s a prequel and reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, told from the perspective of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West. It explores:

• Her misunderstood life.
• Her unlikely friendship with Glinda the Good Witch.
• How society labeled her as “wicked.”
• The deeper, hidden story behind what we thought we knew about Oz.

It’s a much more nuanced, emotional, and political story, showing that villains aren’t always what they seem.

Starring:

• Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.
• Ariana Grande as Glinda.
• Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians).

How is it different from the Judy Garland version (The Wizard of Oz, 1939)?

‍♀️ Plot Summary:

The Judy Garland film is about Dorothy’s magical journey in Oz.
The new Wicked movie is about how the Wicked Witch became “wicked” and questions if she ever really was.
Wicked serves as a prequel and reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, focusing on the backstory of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West. The narrative delves into her misunderstood life, her complex friendship with Glinda, and the societal prejudices that led to her being labeled as “wicked.” The film explores themes of bullying, corrupt leadership, and the demonization of difference, offering a nuanced perspective on the classic tale.

Critical Reception

Wicked has received widespread acclaim:

• Rotten Tomatoes: 89% approval rating with a 98% audience score.
  rottentomatoes.com

• The Guardian: Highlighted the film’s timely themes and the stellar performances of Erivo and Grande, noting it as “a movie that promises a froth of pink.”

  theguardian.com

• Screen Rant: Praised the film as “a thrill, at times wildly funny, heart-soaring, and ultimately inspirational.”

  screenrant.com

Wicked Academy Awards and Accolades

Wicked won awards for Best Production Design and Best Original Score at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

At the 97th Academy Awards, Wicked received ten nominations, including:

• Best Picture

• Best Actress in a Leading Role: Cynthia Erivo

• Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Ariana Grande

The film secured a historic win:

• Best Costume Design: Paul Tazewell became the first Black man to win this category, expressing pride in his trailblazing achievement.
  people.com

Wicked took home two Oscars, for Best Costume Design for Paul Tazewell and Best Production Design for Lee Sandeles and Nathan Crowley

Wicked Nominations

Oscars Performance

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the 97th Academy Awards with a medley of songs from the Wizard of Oz universe, including “Over the Rainbow,” “Home,” and “Defying Gravity,” enchanting the audience and bringing a touch of Broadway to Hollywood’s biggest night.

‍♀️ Differences from the 1939 The Wizard of Oz

While The Wizard of Oz (1939) centers on Dorothy’s journey in a whimsical and adventurous tone, Wicked offers a complex, emotional, and political narrative from Elphaba’s perspective, exploring themes of friendship, prejudice, and societal judgment. The musical elements also differ, with Wicked featuring Broadway hits like “Defying Gravity,” contrasting with the classic songs of the original film.

Wicked has not only captivated audiences worldwide but also sparked discussions about its potential adaptation into a TV series based on Gregory Maguire’s original book, which contains more mature themes.

For a visual overview of Wicked‘s Academy Award nominations, you might find this video insightful:

Wicked

Thoughts: “Over the Rainbow,” Wickedness, and Today’s Headlines

While the Wicked movie brings a fresh narrative to the idea of what—or who—is truly wicked, the real-world meaning of wickedness has tragically resurfaced in the ongoing crisis of hostages held in Israel, with unimaginable harm and suffering inflicted on innocent people. These very real wicked actions—rooted in hatred and violence—stand in stark contrast to the Wicked film’s message of misunderstood intentions. In reality, there is no misunderstood cause for brutality.

Strikingly, the song “Over the Rainbow”—made famous by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz—has its own somber backstory. As described in Enhavim: The Dreams That You Dare to Dream, the phrase ‘the dreams that you dare to dream, really do come true’ comes from the famous song ” Over the Rainbow,” often known as“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from the song was penned by Jewish lyricist Yip Harburg and composer Harold Arlen, both sons of immigrants who had fled persecution. Written on the eve of World War II, as dark clouds gathered over Europe, the song was more than a wistful longing for another place—it was a coded prayer for safety, peace, and the survival of those facing danger. The “rainbow” wasn’t just metaphorical; it was a dream of refuge from real-life wickedness.

In 2025, as we watch the heartbreaking release of some hostages from October 2023 from the Gaza situation in Israel, some alive, and bodies of the innocent dead, from the layers of history echo once again. Though completely unrelated to Wicked the movie, the shared language of “wickedness” and the ongoing yearning for freedom and peace mirror what “Over the Rainbow” first expressed:

A deep hope for a place where people are safe from harm,
Where skies are clear of conflict,
And where “dreams that you dare to dream” can simply mean living without fear.

The rainbow is a symbol of God’s covenant with humanity, and a reminder of God’s mercy and peace.  The rainbow appears in the Bible after God destroys the world with a flood in Noah, God promises never to destroy the world again by flood, and establishes the rainbow as a sign of this promise.

In the current time, the symbolic rainbow—from dream to enhavim—reminds us that dreaming of peace is not naïve. It is necessary.

And perhaps, even as fictional witches soar and sing on the Wicked screen, the world off-screen waits for the real magic:
The return of every hostage.
The end of wickedness.
And the dawning of the peaceful skies that people have dreamed of for generations in Israel and in the world.