When Wicked opened this week in cinemas, it’s a safe bet to say there’s a built-in audience that will flock to the theaters and make a beeline for the SM IMAX cinemas to enjoy an Oz-some, heightened experience of the musical. 

Proven and established intellectual property, such as hit Broadway musicals, have fans ready to absorb any iteration of the much-enjoyed creative content. So, given that Wicked has been an all-time favorite on Broadway, it ensures that lovers of theater, musicals, and Broadway will all pledge their allegiance to the Wicked "altar."

And why shouldn’t they? Based on the Gregory Maguire novel, which drew on the original The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the Broadway musical of Schwartz and Holzman was a wonderful origin prequel to the much-loved film The Wizard of Oz. And if Broadway had already produced a spin-off via The Wiz, which retold the story from an African-American perspective, this one of Wicked played on the notion of who was the Wicked Witch of the East, Elphaba, and the Good Witch of the North, Glinda, before the events of The Wizard of Oz? 

The story was a winner, tracing back to when the two were budding witches at Shiz University and against all odds, forged a friendship. And when you had the magical songs of Schwartz and Holzman gaining a life of their own beyond the musical, everything was set in stone for success. I say this because how often do we hear Defying Gravity requested or sung at Karaoke parties and auditions, and so many don’t even know that the song comes from Wicked?

So now we have this Jon M. Chu-directed magnum opus - two hours forty minutes for Part 1, and Part 2 is promised for next year. Previously best known for directing Crazy Rich Asians, Chu has also produced live concert films of Justin Bieber, two Step Up films, plus In The Heights. So, he knows his musicals and has successfully transitioned them to film.

With Ariana Grande as Glinda Good Witch of the North, and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Witch of the West, there were eyebrows originally raised when the casting was announced. You can all rest easy; Erivo has really ‘arrived’ with this film. And if there’s a big surprise, Ariana creates her enjoyable version of Glinda with humor and hair flops! Michelle Yeoh is on board as Madam Morrible, the headmistress at Shiz University. And there’s Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard. 

The cinematography is sparkling, and the tones surrounding Elphaba are in stark contrast to those utilized when Glinda is in the frame. It all adds luster and thematic coloring. The dance numbers are energetic, and we invest in both main characters. 

What happens in the second week when all the diehard musical fans have had their fill? Will this film qualify as family entertainment to sustain box office revenues? At two hours forty, that’s quite a task to ask of young children in a cinema. I hope it does have the legs to be a major success, as that would guarantee the film Oscar nominations and reward the people behind the film - who loved the material and working on this film.