Caution: Wicked spoilers this way come.
Citizens of Oz, the Wicked movie is finally here, and after attending an exclusive early screening of the film, First For Women can confirm this film is the goodest witch of all! Between Cynthia Erivo’s stunning vocals and Ariana Grande’s bright and bubbly portrayal of Glinda, it truly is the perfect film to usher moviegoers and musical theater fans into a fresh new era of adaptations. And a large part of that newfangled feeling comes from director Jon M. Chu’s willingness to include nods to the past that celebrate the rich tapestry of all things Oz. Below, we’ve rounded up the nine easter eggs you might miss in the Wicked movie, which comes out today, including where some of the plot points came from and how the film honored the original Wizard of Oz cast. Keep flying down for more.
Dorothy has a cameo
At the beginning of the film, the camera pans over The Yellow Brick Road to show Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and Toto traveling down it. Fans of the musical might remember, though, that Dorothy doesn’t appear until the end of the musical after Boq (Ethan Slater) gets turned into the Tin Man and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) gets turned into the Scarecrow. And while it is understood that this cameo is taking place after the events of the first film—since Glinda (Grande) is announcing the death of The Wicked Witch in a voice-over during it—it’s unclear if Dorothy’s appearance will be replicated in Wicked Part 2 and who will play her.
The opening font is the same as ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Another call out to the original Oz film happens during the opening credits. The font of the word Wicked is the same as the one used in The Wizard of Oz. How sweet is that!
Glinda and Elphaba are the only ones that don’t wear a Shiz University uniform
While at Shiz University, every student is seen in some version of a blue and white uniform, except for Glinda and Elphaba. Instead, Glinda (Grande) wears her signature pink, and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is seen in black and white. They do wear Shiz University pins on their clothes, though.
There are several call-outs to poppies
In The Wizard of Oz, The Wicked Witch of the West puts Dorothy to sleep in a field of poppies. In Wicked, she does the same to her classmates after learning that Dr. Dillamond (voiec by Peter Dinklage) is being taken away. Elphaba also repeatedly tells people that poppies are her favorite flower and is even gifted one by Fiyero before jetting off to The Emerald City.
The original Wicked Witch of The West has a few cameos
Sadly, Margaret Hamilton is not alive to see her beloved Wicked Witch of the West in a new light, but her legacy lives on. In Wicked, there are a few callouts to the original witch, including how Elphaba shapes her hand while doing magic and how she puts the lion cub in a bike basket while escaping. The hand is the same that Hamilton did in her iconic promo poster and her other character in the film—Miss. Gulch—famously puts Toto in a bike basket and rides away. What a perfect way to honor the lasting legacy of the late actress.
Fiyero’s horse is the same one the actor rides in ‘Bridgerton’
It turns out Jonathan Bailey is a one-horse kind of man because the steed he rides in Wicked is the exact same one he rides in Bridgerton—sadly, though, the horse only talks in one of them. We dare you to guess which one.
Dorothy’s ruby slippers make an appearance
While going through her closet during the hit song “Popular,” Glinda quickly pulls out a pair of ruby red slippers that look exactly like Dorothy’s before casting them aside. However, it’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, so you have to keep your eyes peeled.
Then, at the end of the song, Glinda puts the flower Fiyero gave her in Elphaba’s hair, foreshadowing how Fiyero picks Elphaba over Glinda.
Finally, the original Glinda and Elphaba make an appearance
Ever since the Wicked movie was announced, people have long wondered if Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth would appear, and now we finally know that they do! The two have a quick singing cameo in “One Short Day” and even interact with Grande and Erivo, making it the sweetest full-circle moment.
