4K UHD/Blu-ray Review: WICKED (Part 1)

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Feb 02, 2025 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | 1 comment

Wicked (Part 1) serves both as a prequel and a sequel to the classic The Wizard of Oz. The film adapts the first act of the hit Broadway musical of the same name, while also adding in some additional material from the novel it is based on. The film opens with Glinda (Arina Grande) arriving in Muchkinland in her bubble, as the Ozians are celebrating the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. When one of the children asks Glinda how people become wicked, and if she had been friends with the Witch, Glinda poses the question, “Are people born Wicked? Or do they have a Wickedness thrust upon them?”, and then starts to recount the story of how she and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) met.

Elphaba didn’t grow up evil, in fact she was a very loving, caring and intelligent child, who demonstrated magical abilities from the moment she was born. However, when her father, Governor Thropp, sees her green skin, she instantly becomes an outcast both within her own family and from the other children, who constantly make fun of her. Her younger sister, the non-green Nessarose (Marissa Bode) is beloved by their father, and is obviously his favorite. So when it comes time for Nessarose to go away to Shiv University, he sends Elphaba along to watch over her. There were never any plans for Elphaba to attend the school as well, but when Dean Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) notices Elphaba’s magical abilities, she offers to privately tutor her. All of her life, Elphaba had dreamed of meeting The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), hoping that he would be able to use his powers to help her fit in. And doing well at Shiv University, might finally make that dream come true.

Elphaba is assigned to a dorm room with Glinda, the most popular, beautiful (and self-centered) girl at the school, who is focused on wooing the new transfer student, the handsome Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Glinda puts on a fake smile, and pretends to be OK with her new roommate. However, she struggles with even the basics of magic, and is a bit jealous of Elphaba’s natural abilities. While the two roommates initially struggle to get along, they eventually discover some common ground, and start to form a friendship. However, there are some evil forces at work in Oz, which threaten to tear these friends apart, and lead Elphaba down a very dark path.

While I was certainly aware of the musical Wicked, and was familiar with songs like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity”, I had never actually seen a production of the stage play, nor read the book, so I went into this film somewhat blind as to the story. My only previous experience with these characters was from watching The Wizard of Oz many times over the decades. I was pleasantly surprised all around by this production. The filmmakers have spent a lot of money bringing this world to life, with massive, immersive practical sets that transport the viewer into this bright and colorful world of Oz. Whether it’s Muchkinland, Shiv University, or Emerald City, all of these locations are rich in detail without relying on extensive CGI to fill in the blanks. This helps make things feel real, and as though the characters are actually there in these environments (because they are). There are some CG characters, such as Oz’s diminishing animal residents, one of whom is the school’s last animal teacher, talking goat Dr. Dillamond (Peter Dinklage). However, these affects are well done, and the animals feel quite realistic.

I found the story itself to be quite interesting, exploring a very different side to Elphaba that never would have occurred to me having only seen The Wizard of Oz. I was not expecting Elphaba to be such a relatable, loving, and caring character, which sucked me in almost from the start—how could such a peaceful person be turned so evil?! If anything, it seems like Glinda should be the evil one, since she is more of the nasty and unaccepting one as the story starts. Cynthia Erivo really sells this compassionate side of Elphaba in her performance, making the audience really care for and understand her as someone who has lived with hate, ridicule and harassment all her life, but still remains positive and upbeat. What is it that’s going to finally set her over the edge and cause her to break bad?! When we first meet Glinda, she’s a bit self-centered, and does some mean things to her roommate, but as the film goes along, she starts to become more compassionate and caring. Ariana Grande brings a lot of humor to this role, adding charm to what could initially be a somewhat wicked character. The cast also includes many other talented folks, including the iconic Jeff Goldblum, who seems perfectly cast as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh as the mysterious Madame Morrible. Jonathan Bailey and Ethan Slater also shine in the music and dance numbers.

Wicked has some excellent songs and musical numbers, such as the humor-filled “Popular”, the inspirational “The Wizard and I”, and the powerful “Defying Gravity”, all performed to perfection by Erivo and/or Grande and the rest of the talented cast. These songs will definitely stick in your head. The film also has a lot of really imaginative choreography and dancing—such as the student book routine during “What Is This Feeling?”, or the prince and others running around on a complex human-sized hamster wheel in the library during “Dancing Through Life”.

The film only covers Act I of the musical. While the official title does not contain “Part 1”, this is included on the film’s opening title card, so I wasn’t expecting anything to be fully resolved by the end of this movie. However, the way Part 1 leaves things will make audiences who haven’t seen the play or read the book, and don’t know what’s coming, anxious to see what happens next. Unfortunately we’ll have to wait until November for the second film to hit theaters.

We were sent the 4K release of Wicked for review, and it looks and sounds fantastic. I first saw the film in 3D in the theater, and enjoyed it just as much if not more this second time around at home on disc. The picture is pristine, and the Dolby Vision-enhanced colors are so vivid. This is especially noticeable in the more colorful locations like Munchkinland, Shiv University and Emerald City. However, even during the film’s darker sequences, there is also a lot of detail. The Dolby Atmos soundtrack often provides a fully-immersive experience, which is especially noticeable during the film’s final sequence. Wicked has an amazing score and wonderful music, all of which are presented with a really full, immersive sound, making the music and dance numbers come to life.

Wicked was released theatrically in 3D, but unfortunately there is no 3D disc option. However, Universal does appear to be offering the film in 3D on digital at Fandango at Home, for those who still have devices that support the format.

This disc release contains a solid selection of bonus material, including the option to watch the Sing-Along version of the movie, 2 commentary tracks by the director and the two main stars, over 15-minutes of deleted/extended scenes, and over an hour of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast/crew. The 4K release includes both a 4K and a Blu-ray disc, packed on either side of a standard UHD keepcase, along with a cardboard slipcover with an embossed title, and redemption instructions for a 4K digital copy of the film.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:40:10)

2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Dolby Vision / HDR10
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
Subtitles: English SDH, French (Canada)

Blu-ray:

1080p / Widescreen 2.39:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Vieo Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus, French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 3/31/2026):

4K Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
Some of the bonus material is not available on the Blu-ray disc. These are noted with a *. Play All, or select from:

Sing Along Version (2:40:10)
In this alternate version of the movie, during the songs, stylized lyrics appear on the screen, highlighted in time with the music. However, not every musical musical moment is captioned. Available in English only.
Deleted and Extended Scenes (15:36)
Collection of 10 deleted/extended scenes. Some of these are presented with storyboards and/or incomplete effects. Play All, or select from:
- Pfannee & ShenShen Meet Glinda (:34)
  Glinda reconnects with Pfannee & ShenShen at Shiz University.
- Shiz Gazette Introduces Fiyero (1:34)
  Everyone is excited to see the Shiz Gazette report that Prince Fiyero has been spotted at the University.
- Toss Toss (1:48)
  Glinda attempts to teach Elphaba how to do the Toss Toss.
- Elphaba & Fiyero in the Forest (1:39)
  Sparks start to form as Elphaba and Fiyero care for a lost lion cub in the forest.
- Elphaba’s Promise (1:56)
  Elphaba promises to never leave Glinda behind again.
- Train Platform Farewell (:53)
  Glinda, Madame Morrible, and Governor Thropp join Elphaba on the platform as she prepares to venture off to Emerald City.
- Boq & Elphaba Talk (2:02)
  After Elphaba confronts Boq about revealing his true feelings to Nessa Rose, he turns the conversation back on her, and her unspoken feelings for Fiyero.
- Train Ride to Emerald City (2:22)
  Montage of Glinda and Elphaba enjoying the luxurious train ride to Emerald City.
- In the Emerald City (1:25)
  Glinda and Elphaba explore the streets and shops of Emerald City.
- Palace Monkeys Chase (1:23)
  Elphaba and Glinda are pursued by angry winged monkeys as they try to make their way out of the maze-like palace.
Making Wicked (45:45)
An extensive, in-depth look at the making of the film, from the original adaptation of the novel as a stage musical, to the casting process, using practical effects to make Elphaba green, the costumes, the dance choreography, singing the songs live, the massive, immersive practical sets, adding a lot of humor to “Popular”, adding the flight to “Defying Gravity”, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, photos of the original stage production, costume, hair and makeup tests, and interviews with director Jon M. Chu, producer Marc Platt, music and lyrics/executive producer Stephen Schwartz, costume designer Paul Tazewell, choreographer Christopher Scott, production sound mixer Simon Hayes, production designer Nathan Crowley, and stars Cynthia Erivo (“Elphaba”), Ariana Grande (“Glinda”), Jonathan Bailey (“Fiyero”), Michelle Yeoh (“Madame Morrible”), Jeff Goldblum (“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”), Ethan Slater (“Boq”), Marissa Bode (“Nessarose”), Peter Dinklage (“Dr. Dillamond”), Bowen Yang (“Pfannee”) & Bronwyn James (“ShenShen”).
Welcome to Shiz* (8:02)
The cast and crew discuss the Shiz University set, uniforms, dancing, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Jon M. Chu, costume designer Paul Tazewell, stunt coordinator Jo McLaren, production designer Nathan Crowley, choreographer Christopher Scott, and stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang & Bronwyn James.
A Wicked Legacy* (4:20)
The cast and crew discuss their first experiences with the stage play, bringing the original Broadway stars and writer in for cameos, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Jon M. Chu, producer Marc Platt, music and lyrics/executive producer Stephen Schwartz, executive music producer Stephen Oremus, co-writer Winnie Holzman, and stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Idina Menzel (“Wiz-O-Mania Super Star”) & Kristin Chenoweth (“Wiz-O-Mania Super Star”).
The Wonderful Wizard* (3:45)
The cast and crew discuss the character of the Wizard, and bringing his world to life. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Jon M. Chu, senior special effects technician Christopher Clarke,
and stars Jeff Goldblum & Michelle Yeoh.
Feature Commentary
Select from two entertaining and informative commentary tracks, the first by director Jon M. Chu, and the second with stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. In both tracks, the participants provide scene-by-scene commentary, discussing the characters and story, while also sharing fun behind-the-scenes stories about the production.
- Feature Commentary With Director Jon M. Chu (2:40:10)
- Feature Commentary With Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (2:40:10)

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Highly Recommended
Must Own for Fans

Wicked is a delightful musical that features a lot of humor and heart, exploring the complex origins of characters we know from The Wizard of Oz, and expanding on the story from the original stage musical. It features excellent performances by leads Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande and the rest of the supporting cast. The production value is top notch, making use of elaborate, immersive sets to really bring the story to life. Universal’s 4K release looks and sounds amazing, and includes a solid selection of bonus material that will entertain viewers for hours. Fans of the film/play will definitely want to add this to their collection, and it also comes highly recommended for any fan of musicals and/or The Wizard of Oz.