Wicked (PG)

★★★★ The smash stage musical by Stephen Schwartz - inspired by The Wizard of Oz - gets the film treatment with this opulent, if slightly indulgent, adaptation. ~ Radio Times.

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After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event.

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship.

Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda's unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba's determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future.

Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The film also stars Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.

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★★★★★ This candy-coloured treat of a Broadway adaptation is carried by the phenomenal talent of Ariane Grande and her co-star Cynthia Erivo. ~ The i.

★★★★★ If you're a Wicked fan, it's hard to imagine you could want anything more from this thrillifying film adaptation. Grande's and Erivo's performances as Glinda and Elphaba will have you defying gravity. ~ Total Film.

★★★★ The stars enchant as young rival witches in Jon M Chu’s impossibly slick first instalment of his two-part adaptation of the musical juggernaut. ~ The Observer.

★★★★ What an enjoyable spectacle it is. ~ The Guardian.

★★★★ ~ Little White Lies.

★★★★ ~ Financial Times.

★★★★ ~ The Times.

★★★★ ~ Time Out.

★★★★ ~ Empire.

★★★★ ~ NME.

★★★★ ~ RTE.