'Everything cinema should be': Wicked has been shown and people can't stop talking about Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo

It cannot be overstated how excited fans are Part 1 of Jon M. Chu’s Bad to hit the Film calendar 2024. The the countdown has begun for the musical’s release on November 22, the first adapted from the book by Gregory Maguire into a beloved Broadway musical – winning three of the ten Tony Awards for which it was nominated in 2004 and a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album – before now being turned into this two-part film event. Some have had the opportunity to screen the film early, and the initial response will likely raise fans’ expectations even more.

Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo lead the cast from Bad as witches Galinda (later Glinda) and Elphaba, and their appearances have already done that won the overwhelming approval of OG Glinda Kristin Chenoweth. The critics seem to agree that the actresses are simply magical on the big screen Variety’s Clayton Davis writes on X (Twitter):

Bad rocks, kids. Galinda is the role Ariana Grande was born to play. Perfectly fitting and a truly hilarious, scene-stealing performance. Cynthia Erivo’s heavenly singing ensures that she can make Elphaba her own. The team of artisans assembled by Jon M. Chu all added their signature touches. I’m very curious to see what they do with part 2.

In fact, the way Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande embody their characters has people already thinking about the Oscars. Moviegoer Pacific is blown away and says:

I just watched the Wicked Movie early and I have to say I was hesitant about Ariana Grande, but I can wholeheartedly say she exceeded all my expectations. and CYNTHIA? That voice is divine. Their Oscars should be engraved immediately! incredible work by Jon M. Chu and crew!/cast ♡

Entertainment outlet Atom wholeheartedly agrees, calling Bad – Part 1 one of the best musicals ever for its emotion, humor and adventure. In a social media thread they write:

The entire cast is clearly great with wonderful chemistry. But it should come as no surprise that the leads are indeed the highlights. Cynthia and Ariana are beautiful together, an electric and truly Oscar-worthy set of performances. You will laugh, cry and fall in love with Wicked.

In fact, the site says the upcoming musical has the ability to bring in new fans while staying true to the source material. That should be good news for fans like Jazz Tangcay of varietywho had reservations about the project due to her love for both Bad And The Wizard of Oz. However, after the screening the critic says:

As someone who loves The Wizard of Oz and the Wicked music, I was skeptical about it. Did this have to be two films and so long? What were those clips? I wasn’t sold. And I was wrong! Wicked is everything cinema should be. The craft and acting are absolute SHIZ.

Scott Menzel writes that Bad is one of the very best big screen adaptations of a Broadway musical ever. Strong words, and the critic continues:

Jon M. Chu perfectly captures the magic of the Broadway show, while adding some of his own unique touches to the source material. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo completely knock it out of the park as Elphaba and Galinda. Jonathan Bailey is also quite phenomenal in the film. Wicked lives up to the hype and often succeeds. Oh, and there’s one scene that fans of the Broadway show will absolutely go crazy for. Wicked is without a doubt one of the best films of the year.

Drew Taylor from The Wrap has only the barest of criticisms, but was generally anticipated for Part 2, scheduled for release on Christmas Day on the Film calendar 2025. Taylor says:

Wicked is solid – lushly realized, quite moving at times (both leads are great). But it also falls into some of the pitfalls of Disney’s live-action remakes that diminish its power: too long, noisy, too designed. Overall I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for part 2

If the initial reactions are any indication, Bad Fans are in for quite a treat on November 22nd. So prepare for one beautiful bucket of popcorn (as weird as that sounds) and get ready for some witchy fun with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.