After more than two decades of waiting, Wicked is finally here, but if you’re hoping for an extra bit of magic after the film, you should just have your broomstick ready to ride as soon as the credits roll, as there is no addition scene at the end of the credits! The story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Galinda/Glinda (Ariana Grande) has flown from the Broadway stage to the big screen, casting a spell on audiences and conjuring glowing reviews. Director Jon M. Chu and Universal’s first entry into the two-part saga is certainly faithful to the musical audiences have known and loved for 21 years. However, it still manages to pack plenty of surprises, and while said surprises don’t include a post-credit scene, there is still plenty more magic to be found throughout.

What Is ‘Wicked’ About?

Based on the hit Broadway musical, Wicked tells the story of the land of Oz before Dorothy. There, Elphaba is a girl born green who possesses magic she doesn’t understand. Often ostracized for her skin, she forms an unlikely friendship with Galinda, a beautiful and popular girl who has everything Elphaba does not. Though Elphaba is destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda will eventually become Glinda the Good, the bond between the two is beautiful, hopeful, and inspiring.

Related The Eerily Similar Accidents That Plagued Three Different Oz Witches This trio certainly had their work cut out for them.

Loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked: The Life and the Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked opened on Broadway on October 30, 2003, following a preview run in San Francisco. While not met with the best reviews from critics, it quickly became an audience favorite and made household names out of its original Elphaba and Glinda, Idina Menzel, and Kristin Chenoweth. The film spent more than a decade in development, thanks to director shake-ups, other musical adaptations, and the COVID-19 pandemic. But now that it’s finally here, many may wonder how faithful it is to the source material, a question that ties directly into the lack of a post-credit scene.

How Faithful Is ‘Wicked’ to the Musical?

Though Wicked: Part One is only an adaptation of the musical’s first act, its runtime is quite a bit longer than Broadway’s 90-minute Act One. However, the movie remains incredibly faithful to the musical. Many elements are expanded upon, giving a deeper look at the characters, with certain scenes extended or elements previously only mentioned in the stage production fleshed out into full-fledged storytelling. There’s also plenty of cinematic flair, which helps make use of the story’s transition seamless and more daring. But, at its heart, Wicked tells the same beloved story that theatergoers have adored since it opened on Broadway, thus, the film actually justifies not including a post-credit scene. Much like the show when intermission rolls around, the movie leaves audiences ready for what comes next, and adding an end-credit scene would have risked tampering with the excitement of what has come. Ultimately, bucking recent movie tradition and not including more was the right move. For now, audiences can enjoy the epic musical and eagerly await the second part of Wicked next year.

Wicked is now playing in theaters. Click below for showtimes.

Release Date November 22, 2024 Cast Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd Runtime 160 Minutes Writers Gregory Maguire , Winnie Holzman , Dana Fox , L. Frank Baum Expand

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