The 1A Movie Club Sees ‘Wicked: Part 1’ : NPR

US singer Ariana Grande (L) and Nigerian-British actor Cynthia Erivo (R) pose upon arrival for the European Premiere of the film “Wicked” at the Royal Festival Hall in central London.

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BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

US singer Ariana Grande (L) and Nigerian-British actor Cynthia Erivo (R) pose upon arrival for the European Premiere of the film “Wicked” at the Royal Festival Hall in central London.

BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

It’s a classic story of the struggle between good and evil. And where good eventually vanquishes the evil – with a bucket of water. All the people in the land celebrate its departure and with it, all of their problems.

But what if that story is all wrong?

“Wicked: Part 1” follows the origin story of Elphaba, known in the original “Wizard of Oz” movie as the Wicked Witch of the West. And it follows her friend, Galinda, who eventually becomes the Good Witch.

The movie is based on the Broadway musical which debuted in 2003. Last year, it became the fourth-longest running musical in Broadway history. And that musical comes from a 1995 novel of the same name. The new Wicked movie stars singer-actresses Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the witches Elphaba and Galinda.

The result this past weekend has been gravity-defying. “Wicked” brought in $114 million in North America and another $50 million internationally. That’s the best-ever opening for a film adaptation of a Broadway musical.

For this meeting of the 1A Movie Club, we discuss the new “Wicked” film.

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