WICKED (2024) MOVIE REACTION - THIS MUSICAL HAD US WEEPING! - FIRST TIME WATCHING - REVIEW

Welcome to our first time watching as we react to Wicked (2024).
"Wicked" is a 2024 American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu, adapted from the acclaimed Broadway musical of the same name. The film stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, the Good Witch. Set in the Land of Oz before Dorothy's arrival, the story explores the complex relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, delving into themes of friendship, identity, and societal perception.
"Wicked" has been praised for its spectacular musical numbers, vivid production design, and compelling performances by Erivo and Grande. The film delves into themes of ostracism and the labels of "wickedness," focusing on Elphaba's journey from a misunderstood girl to the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. With standout numbers like "The Wizard and I," "Popular," and "Defying Gravity," "Wicked" this was truly a captivating film that delivered the scale and grandeur of a Broadway show.
We hope that you enjoy our reactions, commentary and review as we discuss the incredible execution of the musical numbers, the technical aspects that impressed us the most and of course the compelling narrative.
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Watch our reactions early! / @officialmediaknights
#Wicked #Reaction #TheMediaKnights

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Wow! Didn't expect this story to hit us as hard as it did! Cannot wait for part 2! Also, thank you so much for watching! We did our best to keep as much of the music as possible but as many of you know, copyright rules are quite strict and we need to abide by them to bring you guys these videos without getting into any trouble. If you'd like to watch along with us with your own copy check out the full length reaction on Patreon! bit.ly/3ICVrJ6 and If you enjoyed the video leave a like and subscribe (It helps us out A LOT and it's free!) www.youtube.com/@OfficialMediaKnights?sub_confirmation=1

[@alexhidalgo7110]

Sure part 2 and also do the og and the Michael Jackson and Diana wizard of oz as well

[@mimic1984]

Can't take no chances with KZbin. No worries mengs. 💜

[@adilnazeer1537]

Plz react on amazing spiderman movie

[@ameliawalker1046]

What on earth does being a New York have to do with wearing black?!?!?!

[@dreali8596]

Please watch The 'Burbs-Tom Hanks, 1989. Must watch.

[@joshuacoldwater]

I worked on the sets for these films, this experience was one of the most important and rewarding experiences of my career and of my life. I am so grateful for every thing I learned and every interaction I had with the wonderful production team and undeniably talented cast.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

No way! Congrats! We’re extremely happy for you ❤️

[@Imjustkev2024]

Bravo! The sets are amazing 🖤

[@tracim3080]

You worked on those sets!! Those were amazing beautiful done 👏👏👏👏👏 You should absolutely feel proud of working on those cause those sets were immaculate 🎉🎉🎉

[@feefafofum]

Bravo indeed to everyone involved in this film!!! Unbelievable. I watched it 4x in the movie theater, and each time, I was just speechless crying, overwhelmed and then applauding and cheering so loudly like I was at the theatre. It was such an experience for so many of us and we cannot wait to see the 2nd one!!!

[@Arcannabis]

My grandmother was so amazed when I told her y’all built the actual sets and only a small portion of background was SFX. Kudos to you and the team!

[@lainwakura]

7:33 Also Ari, the reason why it sounds like that, is because they did live singing, during the production of Wicked :).

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

No wonder! It sounds absolutely amazing. Can’t wait to see the bts and find out how they managed to get such clarity on the vocals.

[@nox_tech_]

to add to this, when cynthia is flying, she's STILL singing as she's flipping around in a harness (for similar comparison, this is the same kind of work pink puts into her live concerts). IIRC they were pretty flexible on how to get the audio recorded for the two of them. so with most of the scenes where they're interacting with the set (dancers moving their cutlery, everyones' synced footsteps, down to little noises like glinda's perfume), the sound is right from there. but also of note, though i don't know how they tied together all the audio, the supporting vocals were recorded by singers who've been part of the broadway cast (several of them posted videos of the group recording sessions). so not only are the people handling the film adaptation sincerely fans of the musical, but many people from the musical put their support into the film as well.

[@majd0u145]

@@OfficialMediaKnights they actually released on digital bts and deleted scenes, wondered if you guys planned to react to that on patreon or here ?

[@TattdUpKL]

@they mentioned in an interview that they placed mics in many places around the set and on the actresses themselves(for example, in Cynthia’s hair) to pick up all the live purity of their voices. Essentially, making the set a recording studio.

[@codyraystrimple5659]

@@OfficialMediaKnightsmultiple hidden mics in the costumea/wigs, all over the set. I don’t remember the exact number but I believe they said that some scenes could be using upward of 25+ mics recording at the same time.

[@lainwakura]

fun fact: those flowers in the start are 100% real. They ACTUALLY planted those.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

No way?? That’s insane work, WOW!!

[@jeffblue19_2.0]

9 million tulips planted for just a few scenes. Wild.

[@Arcannabis]

@@jeffblue19_2.0they hired a local farmer in England to tend and raise them, as well so money went into the local economy. I think it’s amazing but yes wild.

[@dyffevaughnranen1414]

@@jeffblue19_2.0They might use it more in the second part

[@PowerDiva]

@@Arcannabis Yes... and once they bloom again it will be open to the public as an attraction. So the local economy will continue to benefit from it.

[@anyablessing-p5t]

Regular people: I can't believe i have to wait next year Theatre Kids: I can't believe I have to wait 500 25 thousand 600 minutes

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

AHAHAHAHAHAH Looooove the Rent reference omg!!!

[@thatpantransguy]

Don't remind me!

[@Arcannabis]

We GET to watch wicked part one 300+ times!

[@ceceliam9014]

🤣🤣🤣

[@phillipmckinnon6883]

lol

[@Alex-ld6zc]

Something I didn’t realize until my rewatch, but Elphaba’s love for animals makes even more sense when you remember she was literally raised by a bear. Her first real sense of unconditional love from another living creature.

[@Treysor101]

I loved how Elfaba flipping her cape was pretty much her "hair toss." It was a nice touch.

[@TipTuckersTipTopTrucking]

Worshippers of weakness

[@Arcannabis]

@@TipTuckersTipTopTrucking small insecure person

[@Otisboy121]

Hoop. I got weak knees!

[@ulricaandrae4381]

It looked fantastic!

[@kristianbanks6450]

That Ozdust dance scene with Glinda and Elphaba will always make me cry. It’s such a tender and beautiful moment between the girls that changed their relationship. It also makes you realize that they’re more similar than people think. As someone who hasn’t seen the broadway musical, this has to be one of my favorite films I saw in 2024.💚💗 thank you so much for watching! I love your reactions!🧹🫧

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Awww that moment was so beautiful and I (Denise) did not expect it to hit me this hard! It was so gentle and sensitive and so so beautifully acted! Thank you so so much for your support, we truly appreciate you!❤️❤️❤️

[@kristianbanks6450]

@ you’re so welcome !😁😄

[@Arcannabis]

I’ve watched this movie 5 times since NYE and that scene ALWAYS gets me, I break down when Cynthia starts crying. The other part is when she sees her child self in her reflection, she knows that she is the only person she can rely on and she needs to be strong for the little bullied version of her. It was heartbreaking but beautiful - and then the freaking song all while that’s going? Insane! 😊

[@jai07070]

I love how you can see Glinda's sadness while pretending to be happy during No one mourns the Wicked.

[@Arcannabis]

That’s the biggest plus for me among many , the fact that we get close up shots that theatre just can’t provide, it gave so much more emotion to the characters for me at least

[@Otisboy121]

It’s definitely a nice touch for those of us who know the true and full story.

[@ceceliam9014]

So beautiful. I love that when you don't know the story it can feel like she just really hates the wicked witch... But then when you know the grief just shines through, and the pain to have to join in while people celebrate the death of someone you love (for Glinda, probably her greatest love).

[@TommyDay-kq1jj]

So is she a good person or not

[@Otisboy121]

@@TommyDay-kq1jj She was vain and blind. Until she met Elphaba and essentially change her life forever.

[@SawyerJJ14]

Love the friendship between them and it’s even sadder when you realize that this is probably the first friendship for both of them. Elphaba for obvious reasons, but look at Galinda too. She doesn’t have any friends, no one who is real to her, she has admirers and followers. This relationship was just as life changing for her as it was for Elphaba.

[@Otisboy121]

They started as roommates. But became so much more than that. But unfortunately fate and destiny had different plans for them.

[@mohammadyasserdida-agun9631]

FINALLY, someone who understands the nuances in Galinda's character

[@diosito9161]

“You were the only friend I ever had” “And I had so many friends, but only one that mattered”

[@ashleyhyatt4765]

You guys were right in the beginning it was all filmed live for the singing. They wanted to stay true to the actors in the play.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Such a great call! They sound fantastic which is quite the challenge on sets. Would love to see how they got that quality!

[@davidstevenson1933]

Sad to report that this isn't quite accurate. The songs were recorded live but they were subsequently autotuned in post-production. It is a shame really because I bet the original recordings sounded great. If you loved the film you really should go see the show live because its simply on another level. The show will bring you to tears because the live songs sound so human and vulnerable (regardless of the relative skill of the particular performers). I have no doubt at all that Cynthia and Ariana's live recordings sounded amazing but I am afraid the autotuning just stripped away too much of the humanity in its pursuit of perfect pitch. That final sequence of the film is so visually stunning and dynamic that I felt primed to sob uncontrollably but the tears just never came and I blame autotune 100% (Idina's version still chokes me up a bit even after dozens of listens).

[@albalopez2082]

@@davidstevenson1933 That’s the standard nowadays, and IMO it doesn’t take away from their amazing performances at all. We KNOW how perfect they sound live, both of them have proven time and time again that they can sing (I mean, Color Purple? Of course Cynthia can sound as good unprocessed). This is a movie, of course there was going to be some sort of post production, this is not a theater! I just watched a video of Eden singing No Good Deed going flat the whole freaking song, BTW. So sometimes unprocessed vocals will play you a bad hand. That can’t happen on film.

[@Xgendude14]

51:19 Idina Menzel AND Kristin Chenowith. They played the original Elphaba and Galinda in the original Broadway musical. This is like a passing of the torch moment that we all appreciated~

[@youssefhussein1615]

They played the original Elphaba and Glinda in the show on Broadway in New York City from the year 2003 until the year I was born in which was 2005.

[@Otisboy121]

And seeing their future/adult selves from another universe.

[@youssefhussein1615]

@@Otisboy121 Who exactly?

[@Otisboy121]

@@youssefhussein1615 Movie Elphie and Glinda meeting their Broadway counterparts.

[@BrunoDiaz02]

Im not a musical guy. I went to Universal a week before the release, and every store and poster was promoting this movie. I thought "what is all this hype?" Next week a friend of mine draged me into this movie. I can't believe how much I apreciated the songs, the acting, the sets for me...comming back from universal, watching all the production invested in this movie was incredible! I wasn't expecting to like a musical so much, and I can't wait for part two!!!!❤

[@oncerand_directioner]

I'm glad you loved it as a long-time "Wicked" fan. You'll love Part 2 that comes out in November of 2025 but if you want to go into it completely blind, I'd recommend avoiding any spoilers online for Act 2. I only hope that in the future, the success of this amazing movie adaptation persuades big studios to adapt more musicals into movies with people directing them that actually CARE about the source material like John Chu, Ariana, and Cynthia do because it gives these musicals more accessibility to the general public who mostly can't afford to see the shows on Broadway in NYC, thus drawing in new fans

[@allisonmoon2536]

the moment when Elphaba begins to cry in the Ozdust dance, and Glinda sees it and wipes her tear saying "It's alright..." was improvised. That was essentially the genuine full feeling from Cynthia and Ariana responding with love and acceptance and reassurance... Ariana also never fully learned their duet choreography. She wanted to genuinely follow Cynthia's hand motions and movements, being with her in the moment. This whole film was a love letter to this Broadway musical and the story. They took such good care of it.

[@ceceliam9014]

When Glinda says "You might not be as powerful as you think you are" I don't believe there's any maliciousness (we've seen genuine support, even as Elphaba gets everything Galinda always dreamed of). I think we're so used to superhero movies we don't register how insane (and courageous) Elphaba's plan is. Glinda is trying to diffuse the situation because the most reasonable expectation of dramatically declaring war on an entire nation alone would be for her and the person she loves most to simply be killed. She's like, dude, you need to chill or they're going to execute us both. For Elphaba, the wizard revealing he didn't have magic showed he had no real power... For Glinda, who recognizes the power of public opinion, all he revealed is that he's extremely dangerous. (And from what we've seen of Oz, she's not wrong, image is king) Unfortunately now shes a prisoner, and she'll most likely be used against her friend and her conscience.

[@JohnDAmico-ci2hz]

Agreed, that was read completely wrong......

[@gabe6495]

They put crack in this movie! The last 20 minutes is so engaging and powerful and insane! Jon M Chu did an incredible job directing. And Cynthia is such an emotional actor. Her talent is insaneeeeee

[@denniswarrink4761]

The reason Elphaba asked Madame Morrible to include Glinda in the Seminar was because, to her knowledge, Glinda helped Nessarose have "the best night of her life" after Galinda encouraged Boq to ask her to the dance

[@tjohns25]

Plus, because of the Nessa and Boq situation, she thought that Galinda giving her the hat was sincere and in good faith.

[@ria.thrift]

@@tjohns25 Yes! That is also how I understood it. She accepted the hat and invite because she has always cared deeply for Nessa, especially with the context of knowing she blames herself for Nessa's being in a wheelchair that we get later in the story. Galinda did something that made Nessa truly happy.... even though Galinda has a tendency to do the right thing for the worst reasons. Those two moments made Elphaba reconsider her previous bias and ask Morrible to train Galinda with her. But this is also what pushes Galinda to be truly good, for less selfish reasons. Elphaba did something actually that Galinda would never have done, and it force Galinda to look at her in a different light to. Elphaba gave Galinda what she has always wanted. Elphaba was the reason Galinda's dream of learning magic might actually come true. And it forced her to actually analyze the situation.

[@djoel08]

One of my favorite things is "why look Miss Elphaba you're beautiful" that is a call back to "why Miss Celie you're beautiful" from the color purple with the exact same set up in the mirror

[@rocknroll20024]

Oh my God, I didn’t even catch that good eyes

[@kdavis002]

WHATTT? I did not catch that! Wow.

[@marshmallsy]

Oooh, I'm happy you guys checked this out! You two have quickly become my fave reactors on here, you're always willing to interact with new media in good faith and you always have such insightful, understanding, and empathetic comments about whatever you're watching. If you take a step into watching more movie musicals, I hope you check out Jon Chu's other musical adaptation, In The Heights. He puts so much passion and joy for the art of musicals itself into his films, and I was so sad that movie got kinda passed over because it released during the pandemic.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Thank you so much for your kind words, you’ve made our day. It means the world to us to see you guys enjoy these. I’ll add “In The Heights” to our list!

[@defrancoKU]

It was confirmed by the original Broadway Glinda that every time Glinda sings her higher register she is insincere and when she sings in her lower register she is sincere!

[@chuckbartowski6588]

This is good to know because anytime she sung in that high register I could not understand anything she was singing.

[@Otisboy121]

Hmm. I’m gonna have to remember that.

[@thehorrorcounselors4747]

Jeff Goldblum is a wizard most of the time in real life so this was the perfect role for him, one of the most beloved actors in cinema.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

He really is ahah, he was the PERFECT choice for the character!!

[@solmateusbraga]

I just love how Wicked cleverly reimagines the concept of the 'witch' we’ve come to know-complete with a broomstick, black dress, pointy hat, and a perceived 'ugliness' (in this case, her green skin)-as a series of coincidences rather than intentional traits. Elphaba is born green, possibly due to her innate magic; her choice to wear black is as incidental as G(a)linda’s preference for pink. The broom just happens to be the closest thing to fly, and her label as 'evil' is the result of perception, not reality. At its heart, the musical is a brilliant exploration of how stereotypes are constructed and imposed. It’s both thought-provoking and delightfully fun.

[@juanpop232]

Her green skin and power might have something to do with the green potion her mom drank.

[@TommyDay-kq1jj]

Maybe​@@juanpop232

[@TommyDay-kq1jj]

Wait...but does her dad know that her mother is cheating? How can we know if the story that Glinda told is true or am I slow??😭

[@booknerd_charlie]

@@TommyDay-kq1jjif they follow the musical, they’ll answer that in Part 2 :)

[@ria.thrift]

@@TommyDay-kq1jj More to come in Part 2! Promise!

[@eli_welli._.]

Fun fact: Cynthia and Ari actually never met before they started filming the movie, and on day one of filming is when they officially met and their friendship just clicked and they already became so close through the filming of the movie

[@Otisboy121]

Wicked! The musical that can make the actresses playing Elphaba and Glinda have a real life and blossoming friendship!

[@MichelleBerry-c6u]

The way Elphaba swipes her cloak at the window ... showing she's found herself her own ' Toss toss'

[@Otisboy121]

“Everyone keeps telling me how MY story is supposed to go….. …nah,…..I’mma do my own thing.” -Miles Morales

[@besupaaa]

Oh NO WAY, REALLY? Wasn't expecting you to watch this, thank you so much. The part Ephie says she wants a celebration that has all to do with her, and they are celebrating her death. And when she says she feels like she could melt. :( she sounds ao hopeful. The story is very nice, we can take so much out of it that parallels what's going on in our world today.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Awe thank youu, we’re glad this was a pleasant surprise for you!! Also those lyricssss omg they killed us with those, it’s so bittersweet because we’re happy to see her hopeful, but we know the context of the things she’s hoping for 😭😭😭

[@EKS511]

I love that Kristin Chenowith and Idina Mendel were in this movie. I thought they were just gonna get a cameo but I love that they got a song.

[@__kathrin__]

Dr. Dillamond, the goat professor, the voice you thought so familiar, that is noone else than the one and only Peter Dinklage (Tyrion from GoT).

[@LLJourney09]

Michelle’s villain turn is BREATHTAKING. Even knowing it was coming I felt myself sucked in from the beginning and feeling absolute heartbreak in that moment when she turns her back on the flying monkeys and you see her mask has finally come off completely.

[@Otisboy121]

Reminds me of Theodora’s sister was the true wicked evil all along in Oz The Great And Powerful.

[@thatpantransguy]

You know the crazy thing about this role for Cynthia Erivo, she said this was so easy for her vocally. Her role as Celie Harris in The Color Purple on Broadway was so much more physically and vocally demanding because of the song compositions. Elphaba's songs are more smooth in their build up, but still so powerful! My favorite is "The Wizard and I", because of how much it exposes her true feelings. It makes me cry 😭

[@DSGodiva]

The Ozdust Ballroom scene destroys me every time. I’m so excited for part 2, which I affectionately refer to as “the redemption of a himbo” lol since Fiyero gets to finally complete his evolution that started here when he met Elphaba.

[@Arcannabis]

I’ve been waking up each morning and the literal first thing I say to myself “Dancing through life..here at the OzDust”

[@unsightedmelodies6801]

A little bit less of a himbo in the movie compared to the stage Musical. You kind of get to see the pretending alphabet talks about here

[@DSGodiva]

@ True

[@KarenTecott]

Fun fact. Cynthia Erivo teaches acting master class at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in Acting through Song.

[@barcaone9548]

Wow

[@tjohns25]

What I wouldn't give to take that class

[@georgiab46]

I think this is the perfect way to show how fascism takes hold within society. Give angry, dissatisfied, discontent people a common enemy to blame, and then “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”. Glinda isn’t a bad person, she’s simply a coward who cares too much about how people see her. I think she genuinely loves Elphaba, and is genuinely kind, but that isn’t always enough. It’s easier for Elphaba to reject the pressure of conformity, because society has always rejected her. It’s a beautiful story. Thank you for always giving such genuine, empathetic reactions💛

[@alemobra5747]

i honestly think "coward" is already a strong word! glinda and elphaba have truly built a strong friendship in this movie, and that will reflect in part 2. Glinda has always had a lot of privilege, and in the end of defying gravity she decides not to go with her because she realised she wouldnt be able to help elphaba and, perhabs more importantly for her, it wouldnt be worth it since they would both be pertrayed as villains. The reason i think "coward" is a bit of a strong word is that, if we think about it, how many people do we know in the real world who would give up their privilege to help something knowing that they'd never get their privilege back? the truth is that not many would do that, elphaba has way less privilage so she had way less to lose. Thats just my take on it anyway, in part 2 we'll se a lot more of her selflessness come to life!

[@JaserJas]

​@alemobra5747 If someone you claim to love/care for is being wrongly persecuted and you are too afraid to stand up for them because you might lose your privilege, that's cowardly. I understand Glinda immensely since I would most likely be more like her in this situation than Elphaba but it's still by definition a cowardly thing to do.

[@georgiab46]

@alemobra5747I don’t think anything Glinda ever does is truly selfless. Even in the end, she cares more about the way she is viewed than anything else. She loves Elphaba, and she grieves her, but in the end she doesn’t do anything to truly protect her. And refusing to stand up for what’s right because you’re afraid to lose the privileged life you’ve always lived is, by definition, cowardly. She watches the world turn on her best friend because she’d rather lose Elphaba than lose the peoples’ favour. Elphaba never had it in the first place so of course it’s easier for her to reject it, but it’s still not a choice that she takes lightly. She says “I don’t want it…no, I can’t want it” because, more than anything, she wants to be accepted - she wants what the wizard is offering her - but she simply can’t take it, because it goes against everything she believes in. She has less to lose and more to gain, and still she makes the right choice.

[@sadesg8855]

​​@@georgiab46 I like you!!!! You tell it!

[@mindib5878]

They DID sing live! Apparently Cynthia and Ariana insisted ❤

[@tetamale4280]

"EVERYONE DESSERVES THE CHANCE TO FLY" and the tears started

[@Heroliesinyou]

If everyone "flies".... it's not special anymore.

[@vickylikesthis]

*chance

[@Carpathianpixie]

​@@Heroliesinyou this is the type of mentality that leads to and justifies inequality, injustice, and oppression.

[@leroystea8069]

Related to their singing, the set designs were constructed to act as a sound stage. So all the vocals were done live with microphones hidden everywhere to get the voices correctly. Most of the sets were actually built and even the train to Emerald City was a real vehicle. The Director wanted actual sets for all the performers and actors to play off of, making this fantasy land as real as possible. So love this movie. Thank for doing this☺♥

[@sethshockey1114]

The cameo with Idina Menzel also has Kritin Chenoweth, and they played the OG Elphoba and Galinda, respectively on Broadway

[@RQLexi]

And the original Galinda shushes movie Galinda when she starts to sing to take over the number, while the original Galinda gets to sing her Defying Gravity signature "aaaaAAAAaaaah"! It's a cute scene ^^

[@chaarli4681]

part 2 comes out november this year, as they filmed both of them together so we don’t have too long to wait :))

[@tjohns25]

525,600 minutes is wayyy too longgggg lol

[@gailseatonhumbert9199]

Peter Dinklage was a great choice for Dr. Dillamond. He has such a distinct voice.

[@johnkearns2252]

Who ever edited this video did such a great job, being able to show your thoughts and the music by cutting and adding what is needed was so well executed

[@JohnDAmico-ci2hz]

Meh, sometimes less is better. No need to say the same thing over and over and over, we get it, we're also watching it. Save the majority of it till the end, like they fina6did here...

[@RandellBowers]

My head canon is that, as a party boy, Fiyero has been huffing poppies for so long to get high that his tolerance allowed him to basically be unaffected like the others and that's why he didn't fall asleep lol

[@nox_tech_]

my take was that it was elphie's unstated crush on him, but i also really like this lmao.

[@vangoghsnight4268]

Sht this take is very new to me but it kinda makes sense? 😭😭

[@cocoapuff_x]

in a deleted scene glinda says to elphaba "you could've chose me if you needed somebody, i would've helped" which probably means elphaba subconsciously chose to not sleep fiyero

[@tomw4955]

I also heard it was an easter egg since in original wizard of oz thescare crow didnt fell asleep in the poppyfielda dsaved dorothyandtheothers.

[@Hey_Jamie]

The way this film (well, story) plays on religion is so genius. Anyone can be tricked into believing in one all powerful being, but it’s just a facade. That “powerful being” has nothing to do with just being a good person. And clearly you don’t need to worship that being to do and be good. It’s just inside you.

[@cinefreak8877]

This film is now the highest-grossing Oz-related film and the highest-grossing musical film adaptation of all time!

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Heck yes, and it is well deserved!!

[@Otisboy121]

@@OfficialMediaKnightsDefinitely! The crew that worked on this movie definitely made sure to execute this one with lots of love and care!

[@tomw4955]

I doubt that this film made more money than the original wizard of oz. Cause older very succesful films are hard to beat. It had 35 million dollars thats about 795 million in today it also made 12 times what it cost to make. Wicked cost bout 145 mil to make it wouldneedto earn 1.8 billion to be that efficie t. Itcurrently has just by 680 mio. Its great but not the biggest oz film. Still amazing it is so well received. Love that.

[@albalopez2082]

There are behind the scene videos of Cynthia doing her own stunts in Defying Gravity, flying with a corset and a harness and freaking SINGING and hitting those notes. She’s amazing. She’s spoken about how difficult it was to find a way to project her voice without the ground under her feet, and how difficult it was to find a way to control her voice while being thrown around. She deserves all the awards, not only for this but for the extremely good and nuanced way she portrayed Elphaba. In the stage version Elphaba shows way less vulnerability, way more walls. But Cynthia was… OMG, she was perfect for this role. She became the character. Amazing.

[@albalopez2082]

And yes, they had an earpiece.

[@albalopez2082]

Here’s one of the BTS videos of Cynthia in Defying Gravity: kzbin.infofjSWIL0ZHes?si=FhEbcvR6eQC3lgvl

[@Arcannabis]

My faves watching my current obsession. Life is good- as a fan of the book/ musical since 2004 I have to say I am obsessed with this movie. From the audience you really just rely on the actions, and song to narrate the story. The movie shows close ups, emotions, the facial expressions- it touched me in a way the former couldn’t, Cynthia is MY Elphaba for life. I hope you both enjoy this masterpiece and I’ll be crying along with y’all as I watch.

[@alemobra5747]

i do love that at the end of defying gravity glinda truly stops being jealous of elphaba or wanting to be as powerful as she is! she truly just hopes she's happy and hopes everything goes right for her. Thats character growth, gAlinda wouldve never done that

[@cheetothefish4435]

i think the cool thing about defying gravity and the dialogue in it is just what you guys said. they’re excepting they have different paths. glinda is the popular one, and people always follow her and listen to her, and that’s her specialty, which is why she stays. elphaba has been alone and learned how to make a difference without the help of others most of the time, which is why she leaves. basically, glinda knows if she were to go with elphaba, she would be unable to make that much of a difference, as she has more power being around others and getting them to listen, while elphaba has more power working solo. i thought that was extremely cool bc looking at it, it just seems like glinda made the wrong choice, but essentially they both made the choice they believed was right and the choice they think would create more of an impact. I LOVE WICKED

[@egraham3000]

1:11:43 Same. I have never been a fan of musicals, but after watching this.... just WOW. I was never expecting this to be this gorgeous and heartbreaking. Amazing reaction, both of you! Part 2 comes out this coming November 2025.

[@abrahamewaldo]

The story itself brings tears to my eyes, the music, the acting, the set, and everything else is just.. PERFECTION!

[@emmetstone1660]

They were singing this live! So amazing! ❤

[@ThePonderer]

There’s a lot of choices this movie makes that I think lead to it being a narrative improvement over the stage show, but a BIG one is how Michelle Yeoh chooses to play Madame Morrible. She makes you really believe she’s got Elphaba’s best interest at heart, so her betrayal stings harder than anything else. Compare that to the play, where Morrible is a Cartoon Supervillain from the moment we meet her.

[@Meh7765-w7n]

Morribles's words playing while she hugs Glinda, showing wow she is the true wicked one

[@Otisboy121]

She really is the real wicked witch. After all, her name is just one letter change away from what she really is like.

[@ticklesnkicks]

Madame Morrible. Madame ‘orrible

[@totalknightmare]

When people don't cry at this I find it MUCH crazier LOL

[@Marcus_1001]

22:43 So familiar, indeed. Dr. Dillamond is voiced by none other than Peter Dinklage, aka Tyrion Lannister.

[@I_See_U_Gabriel]

Hey Ari, I feel ya As a person that is not into musicals, I enjoyed this movie a lot, just Watching this with my mom on her birthday she loved it and I honestly enjoyed it, the story was really great and I can’t wait to see part 2

[@darionwilson3666]

Story is definitely true for today right?!!

[@mimic1984]

Until this movie, I forgot Ariana could actually act. I forgot she was in the Nickelodeon show Victorious and some Broadway shows. Absolute QUEEN! 💜

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

She did so beautifully in this, her comedic timing was perfection in this!!

[@jocelyngipson7882]

Her SNL skits>>>>

[@kamatz83]

I've been a fan since 2003, I've read the book and saw the play in a recording I found online years ago because I live too far from anywhere I could see it. I was there in the theater on opening night for the movie and I was crying the whole time. It has so much easter eggs for the Wizard of Oz movie and the original story itself that it just shows that is a product of love. I really liked the tiny changes to the characters and my favorite is that you can see Glinda was about to decide to go with Elphaba when the soldiers catch her. Just like in the train scene where she first said no and then jumped in, she was about to jump to the broom. I won't spoil the second part, but Glinda has her eyes opened to the issues in Oz and she's left in charge after the wizard leaves, she says so at the beginning of the movie. This musical is very close to my heart for a number of reasons and I'm really happy with what the cast and the production team did. I can't wait for the second part this year.

[@kylec254]

OH... MY... GOD!!! I am so freaking happy you guys watched this movie!! My wife and I saw it twice in the theater, and I cried both times. The way they make you sympathize with Elphaba throughout the movie, how you see not just a budding friendship, but genuine love these two women have for each other, and how you see the world was turned against Elphaba at the end in order to keep a secret. I also saw this on stage about six times and every single time, the way the cast gave their all to these characters was so great! There are a lot of Easter eggs throughout this movie, especially in the music. When Glinda is putting the cape on Elphaba, you can hear a small snippet of the song "For Good" in there and they also use "Dancing Through Life" a fair amount when the two of them are with each other. Ariana Grande did a phenomenal job as Glinda. She definitely gave Kristin Chenowith vibes (which I don't mind) and Cynthia Erivo was absolutely KILLING it as Elphaba. My favorite shot in this movie is when you see them with Kristin Chenowith and Idina Menzel during "One Short Day". To me that was a fun little 'Passing of the Torch' moment for them. I absolutely CANNOT wait till November 21st of this year. That is when the second half cones out.

[@DeannaGilbert616]

11:27 In case people weren’t aware, the Ruby shoes Dorothy wears in the movie are silver in the original book. Just mentioning…for no reason whatsoever…

[@Otisboy121]

Riiiiiiiiight. No reason.

[@DeannaGilbert616]

@@Otisboy121Nooooooo reason at all.

[@Otisboy121]

Fun Fact: The Wizard’s Mechanical face is all practical and works! They built the entire set up!

[@josemedina5450]

Wicked: For Good opens in theaters on November 21, 2025.

[@krisho47]

Glinda and Elphaba are the symbols of how people set what "good" and what "evil" is. As Nietzsche said, "If you crush a cockroach, you're a hero. If you crush a beautiful butterfly, you're a villain. Morals have aesthetic criteria." If you rewatch the first song, No One Mourns The Wicked, you'd also find Glinda differently. You can feel the hurting behind her words. Knowing what happened to them completely changed the impact of the song for me.

[@alemobra5747]

yes, i love how the movie (along with what the part 2 story will be based on the play) shows that "good" and "evil" only exist based on perspective, and if we know the true story and what the characters truly are like, we'll realise that both of them have flaws, and both of them have good things! There isnt really a "good" or a "bad"!

[@JeshuaSquirrel]

I watched the film with my dad who had really no exposure to the musical at all. Halfway through "No One Mourns the Wicked", he leaned over and said, "It doesn't seem like she likes this." Such a testament to Ariana's acting to put those layers in her acting.

[@desiraevang]

Loved Wicked since I was younger and so glad that they made it into a movie! Cynthia and Ariana really made the movie. The connection they have, you can really feel it and it’s so beautiful. I cannot wait for the second movie!

[@infiniteethernal]

Yeah I wasn't a big musical guy either and was having a similar reaction to the guy on the left! You guys won a subscription! Can't wait to see more content 👏

[@juliano9272]

Yes!!! Ariana and Chyntia, both sang every song LIVE!

[@elliottbullockii3282]

Happy New Years, Media Knights. This is my favorite Oz adaptation since the 1939 classic film (which is my favorite film of all-time). Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were born to play those roles. The production design and costumes are truly stellar. Especially the sets. They planted millions of tulips and built Shiz University, Emerald City, and Munchkinland. It has such an epic granduer and world-building. This movie has Oscars for best production and costume design written all over it.

[@alanscopp1114]

I loved watching you two watching the movie for the first time. Your spontaneous reactions were fun to watch. To see the film work its magic on you - as it did to me - was a treat! Thanks

[@maximejoliet7052]

I'm so pissed of at people cause clearly Cynthia and Ariana NAILED IT like everyone who saw the movie was blown away but still I don't see them getting awards

[@MKOreacts]

Yes! All of the vocals were LIVE!!! Ariana and Cynthia were told they could use a track but they refused and wanted to sing live so they could convey the emotion INCREDIBLE

[@shelbylynn613]

1:24:22 they had lav mics integrated into their costumes for live capture, and they sang with backing tracks. Cynthia was singing on wires. She talked about having to do a lot of physical training to breathe differently to what she normally does for singing. The ensemble tracks were recorded in studio with the majority of the singers being from the Broadway cast past and present.

[@JeshuaSquirrel]

I wonder if Cynthia did or thought to consult with Pink about how she sings while flying in the air in her shows. Because of that training, Pink can sing clearly while someone is standing on her stomach.

[@VengefulPurity]

Someone showed me a reel of many different actresses ending of defying gravity, each one is so unique, their rendition of the notes are like their musical signature. This film is extremely impressive; replication is a given when adapting musicals but I was so amazed how they made it their own without simply copying. Plus what also made it so wonderful are the extra details that we can see on film that is not easily seen on stage.

[@matealozic2516]

I was just watching your videos the other day and thought how much I would love for you guys to watch Wicked, but I didnt think you actually would. This just MADE MY DAYYYYYY

[@madisonmyers621]

i’m really glad you guys checked this out!! truly one of the best movies i’ve seen in the last year, and maybe even longer!! i knew of the play and stuff before, but nothing could’ve prepared me for how amazingly they handled the movie!! everyone did AMAZING, and they did spectacular bringing everything together! AND the singing live really ties it all in!

[@user-gp9es3rd3e]

Oh I absolutely bawled in the cinema also. The defying gravity sequence was everything I wanted

[@arsyaah]

I literally just watched Wicked again this morning.

[@deondremorris7803]

Man, I love this channel, you guys bring the good vibes every video

[@UFBUtifuleyes]

I saw this in a cinema with surround sound, so the swoosh of her broom when she rises to the top of the tower and sings those final notes sounded amazing, I also cried like you two did when she sang the finale to the song while flying, and when the credits rolled everyone (including myself) applauded because it was that good. I don't recall any other film at the cinema where people applauded at the end.

[@AadamIsBored]

OMG I never expected you guys to react to this! Definitely watching!❤❤

[@Deadbunnybruh]

All this time, we were wrong about the witch. This is why she turned evil I feel bad for her and she wanted to meet her hero and turns out he was a bad man Never meet your heros

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Right?? It’s so upsetting what ended up being the truth! Elphaba deserves better!

[@ericaj.5180]

I have seen this on stage a few times and I was skeptical of the movie (especially when it was revealed it was PART ONE) but it really captured so much about the musical that I love!

[@melissacreel4719]

We went to see this on stage. I wasn't expecting to be so emotional. Defying gravity gave me chills and tears. An amazing experience.

[@ZephyrBluePaddy]

I was one of those that doubted Ariana's ability for this role and i am beyond overjoyed to eat my own words and doubts. She nailed it. I didnt have worries about Cynthia, i knew she was going to be perfect as Elpheba. I'm so glad this movie adaptation is this good. You can feel the amount of love, care and effort in every shot. Plus, actually casting disabled actors for disabled parts will always be a win!

[@jennyfair1846]

The Guy in the Emerald City who said "The WIzard will see you now" is actually Steven Schwartz who composed WICKED

[@ZakirAli-h8j]

23:38 When Elphaba said “I don’t have any friends” to the professor and he replied with “u have one” they were saying awww and all that came to my mind is why in the worldddd is Elphaba touching the professor’s feet

[@johnkearns2252]

Fun fact in the emerald city for the theatre group the two main story tellers are the original actor who played Elphaba and Glenda on Broadway

[@tylerjones4247]

The wild robot and Deadpool and Wolverine were my favorite movies of 2024 right up until Wicked came out. I didn’t know how much this movie would get me in the feels. That ending was just perfection

[@ScottSeven-n3f]

I think something that the film does so well is show everyone that exists in the real world, like you said there are people from all walks of life that are represented in the film, in so many other franchises or big productions it’s like if your gay or a person of couloir or someone with a disability unless your there to only be there for that specific reason your not included, but in the film they show that everyone exists in the foreground in the middle ground and in the background you don't have to be the main character to exist and Jon M. Chu is really amazing for being able to direct and also bring people in every department on to the production where its not just an afterthought and they show how organically it can be done.

[@jojoal7115]

Thank you for the reaction this movie was amazing when I watched it the first time I cried a lot this movie we really need part 2 can't wait for it ❤❤.

[@LeafsOasis]

i actually don't think anything Glinda did in the beginning was evil, her telling Boq to ask Nessa to the dance was her trying to get him to leave her alone and go for someone else and the first actual mean action that she SAW actually hurt someone was giving Elphaba the hat leading to her being laughed at in the ball (it's also a theory Glinda DID really like hat judging by her quick facial expression when her friend picked it up AND her face after giving it to Elphaba)

[@alemobra5747]

Yeah! we really see that she has a good heart in that dancing scene, her willing to "step down" to elphaba's social status to make things right shows a lot!

[@JeshuaSquirrel]

Glinda redirecting Boq to Nessa was a manipulation. She was still using her flirtatiousness, leading him on to think that this act would get him in her good graces. Not manipulative would have been, "Look, it's not gonna happen. But have you seen Nessa? She's pretty and new here, no maybe you might get on with her."

[@sadesg8855]

The justification & overlooking Glinda actions and intentions are wild.

[@LeafsOasis]

@@sadesg8855 nobody is overlooking Glinda's actions, I am just saying that her actions before the ball were more "privileged mean girl" rather than evil

[@sadesg8855]

@LeafsOasis Maybe I should've put lol afterward my last comment. I was just poking fun. But I, too, agree that I don't believe Galinda is evil...that's a bit extreme. But I dont believe shes all good. She is definitely self-serving and manipulative. In which changes at the very end of part 2.

[@nacho_merinob]

This has been one of the most beautiful and honest video reactions I've seen from 'Wicked'. Now I just want to be your friend to enjoy the second part together. Thanks for this 💚

[@joshbourne9679]

I loved this film way more than I could’ve ever anticipated. Day 1 I’m there for wicked for good

[@steviehills4256]

Defying Gravity is definitely my favourite scene. Seeing her younger self in the reflection. Her past & future self reaching out to each other, they make contact & it's the broom she grabs. Her singing "it's me" is Elphaba realising that the thing she never felt that she couldn't find a word for was herself & that catharsis is what fuels her rise to singing "it's me!" There's so many nuances from the film that I didn't get from the stage version which made me connect with the characters even more. This is only Act 1, folks! This is going to be the longest intermission ever.

[@maberuesta1274]

The smile that this notification brought to my face! 😍😍😍 looooved your reaction, this musical means a lot to me, and the whole cast but especially Cynthia and Ariana delivered in every aspect. I suggest that if ever want to react to any other musicals, you check out: In The Heights, that was directed by Jon M. Chu too, Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Hairspray, Mamma Mia 1 and 2, The Greatest Showman, The Sound of Music, Matilda: The Musical and Tick, Tick... Boom

[@joseam_junior]

Wicked is amazing! Can't wait for part 2! Love the reaction ❤ Oh and Hairspray is a great musical to react too.

[@thehimalayantourism]

Wow ! Guys loved your reaction watching you getting emotional 😢 made me shed some tears too ❤

[@LWOVECHKIN]

I absolutely adore the diversity of movies on this channel. Banger after banger.

[@upthebuff]

Also i love the fact that two best friends can have fundementally different approaches to how to make change, one from inside the system one from outside the system!

[@NicAiko]

Cant believe you guys actually react to this movie! It's my first time commenting here and just want to say I've always love your reactions! Can't wait for the next one!

[@Lindaneseke267]

Apart from the performances, the production design of this movie really caught my eye. Stupendous.

[@OfficialMediaKnights]

Incredible production! The sets look absolutely beautiful. They really built this amazing world and it makes a huge difference.

[@vicentehizon6202]

Mad props to Nathan Crowley for the details in the set and Paul Tazewell for all the beautiful costumes. Love it!!!

[@spunk0ransom0love]

Yall are the first reaction channel that I have seen do wicked! So congrats on that lol I've been dying to see reactors watch this movie. It is so amazing.

[@hothotheat3000]

Every single reaction gets emotional for the dance scene. NO ONE can resist that moment.