The long-awaited first full-length trailer for the upcoming two-part Wicked movie musical adaptation has finally arrived, giving fans an extensive look at this beloved Broadway show brought to life on the big screen.
The 3-minute and 33-second trailer opens with Ariana Grande’s lilting voiceover as Glinda asks, “Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”
Immediately setting the philosophical tone and foreshadowing the central conflict surrounding Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo, being branded as “wicked.”
Right from Grande’s opening lines, it’s palpable how fully she has transformed into the bubbly, golden, popular girl Glinda.
Her vocals soar with Glinda’s soprano sweetness as we get a teasing snippet of the iconic “Popular” number. Even casual viewers unfamiliar with the musical will likely recognize this fan-favorite melody.
But it’s Erivo’s dramatic first appearance as Elphaba that really commands attention – her piercing gaze, the iconic blue diamond-patterned hat, sleek blue dress, and severe black glasses create an indelible vision of the misunderstood, green-skinned outcast.
As Elphaba defiantly struts down the hall, clacking heels and sweeping a hand through her long locks, you can feel her self-serious intensity.
From their very first interaction as newly assigned roommates at the university Shiz, the sparks between Grande’s Glinda and Erivo’s Elphaba are electric.
Their polar opposite auras – one a perfectly polished social butterfly, the other brooding and solitary – make for sizzling chemistry.
This premise of the two being thrust together despite their differences has long been a source of homoerotic subtext and tension that fans have passionately celebrated.
The casting of Michelle Yeoh as the stern headmistress, Madame Morrible, is sheer perfection.
Her regal presence commands respect while hinting at the controlling authoritarianism her character represents amid the musical’s socio-political allegories about oppression and exclusion.
As the trailer progresses through Glinda and Elphaba’s tumultuous frenemy origins, we’re treated to tantalizing teases of some of the show’s most iconic musical moments.
Grande’s crisp, bubbly vocals shine in that “Popular” snippet, displaying her skills at Glinda’s soprano sweetness required for the role she was born to play.
Some fans may be disappointed to only get brief flashes of the huge vocal showstoppers like “Defying Gravity” that are so beloved.
But leaving the soundtrack’s biggest punches to be experienced for the first time in the theater is a clever move to build anticipation.
A standout emotional beat has Glinda lending Elphaba her grandmother’s witch hat, only for Elphaba to be cruelly mocked when wearing it publicly.
But in a powerful act of self-acceptance and defiance, Elphaba defiantly keeps wearing the hat – embracing her identity as the so-called “Wicked Witch” rather than being shamed by it.
This dramatic costume moment feels rife with queer-coded significance.
The chemistry between Grande and Erivo shines again as we catch glimpses of their fraught versions of showstopping numbers like “What Is This Feeling?” The infamous frenemy duet is famous for its delicious romantic tension between the polar opposite characters.
As Elphaba’s powers grow, so does the societal rift and persecution against her, represented by the ominous arrival of Jon M. Chu’s The Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum.
While the trailer stokes hope that the film will skillfully handle the story’s important allegorical themes about marginalization and oppressive authority, its main objective is achieved.
The electric pairing of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s leads, combined with the dazzling realization of the magical realm of Oz, has fans woefully counting down the agonizing wait until this movie’s musical spectacle graces the screen – even if being split into two parts is sheer torturous cruelty for eager audiences.
The high quality of this trailer promises a lavish production deserving of its beloved source material.
