By Hadassa Ferreira, Arts & Culture Editor
“Wicked,” the movie, was released in theaters on Nov. 22 and has since attracted spectators and fans worldwide.
Beyond its huge success, the movie “Wicked,” based on the beloved Broadway musical, has raised a key question: What is its connection to the classic “The Wizard of Oz,” and where does it fit in the timeline of both stories?
Primarily, younger generations who have not read or watched “The Wizard of Oz” are curious to understand the connection.
The movie’s quality—such as the screenplay, actors, songs, and the presence of names like Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the cast—plays a significant role in its public approval. However, much of its success is undeniably tied to the fact that its story is set in the universe of Oz. Additionally, its connection to the classic “The Wizard of Oz” sparks curiosity about the plot.
Additionally, the universe and characters of Oz became so popular across generations that elements of the story gained widespread recognition, making many young people today familiar with parts and names from the story, though not the entire plot.
So, let’s explore the universe of “The Wizard of Oz” and create an updated timeline, connecting the most iconic movies.
“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” is a literary classic written in 1900, with its first major movie adaptation released in 1939. The story, penned by L. Frank Baum, gained widespread public appreciation throughout the last century, leading to a series of eight books and multiple film adaptations.
The story of the first book, which inspired the film adaptation “The Wizard of Oz,” begins when a twister sweeps Dorothy, a young girl from Kansas, and her dog to the magical land of Oz. Once there, Dorothy needs help finding her way back home, so she embarks on a journey to see the Wizard of Oz, who has the power to send her back.
Throughout her journey, Dorothy meets kind friends: Glinda, the good witch from the South, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion, who accompany her on the path to the Emerald City. She also encounters the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, who makes her journey more challenging along the way.
After overcoming several challenges, Dorothy and her friends have a final confrontation with Elphaba, who dies at the end of the story, setting the stage for the plot of “Wicked.”
“Wicked” was originally a book written by Gregory Maguire in 1995 and later adapted into a Broadway musical by Winnie Holzman in 2003. The witches’ story unfolds before and after Dorothy arrives in Oz, focusing on the complex friendship between Glinda and Elphaba.
The first act of the play begins with the citizens of Oz celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. During the celebration, someone asks Glinda if it’s true that the good witch had a friendship with Elphaba. Glinda confirms this and begins recounting their story. The narrative then flashes back to earlier years, with the entire first act focused on how Elphaba and Glinda met and became friends.
The end of the first part of “Wicked” explains how Elphaba became one of the main villains of Oz. However, it is in the second part of the witches’ story that multiple connections are revealed. In fact, not only are Glinda and Elphaba central to the tale, but the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion also have their origins in “Wicked,” which may surprise some.
If you’re interested in learning more about the story, don’t worry! “Wicked: Part 2” debuts in theaters in 2025, and in the meantime, there’s a great series of books you can read to discover the rest of the story.
