Spoiler Alert: This list includes spoilers for WickedWickedis a prequel and retelling ofThe Wizard of Ozfrom the witch’s point of view.TheWickedmovie is extremely popular, and just like its Broadway counterpart, makes a lot of references to its Ozian source material.The main characters ofWickedare Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande), who became the “good witch” and “wicked witch” inThe Wizard of Oz.Wickednot only tells the stories of these two characters, but references the film that made those very characters so popular.
Throughout theWickedfilm, there are many Easter eggs and references to the original movie.From visual references to musical references,Wickeddoes a great job of including references that will make fans of Oz happy. These references are also a great way to connect the two stories within the greater world of Oz.
The story of how a green-skinned woman framed by the Wizard of Oz becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. The first of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical.
10A Throwback to The Old Universal Logo
The film opens with a nod to the studio’s logo from 1939.
The first reference toThe Wizard of Ozhappens before theWickedfilm even begins! TheUniversallogo that comes onscreen is not the modern one. Rather,the Universal logo that appears is actually the one that existed in 1939 whenThe Wizard of Ozcame out!
Additionally, this vintage Universal logo, while onscreen beforeWicked,fades from black and white to green and pink. This is a clear reference to how, inThe Wizard of Oz,the film coloring famouslychanges from sepia tone to full color. Additionally, the black and white turning into green and pink, the two main colors ofWicked,could represent the change in era of Oz.
The Wizard of Oz
9Title Font from ‘The Wizard of Oz’
‘Wicked’ pays respect to its roots by matching the font.
One of the references that is probably the most noticed inWickedis the title card that appears, sayingWicked: Part 1.Many fans have noticed thatthe font used on this title card is the same font used on the title card forThe Wizard of Oz.
Not only is this a cool visual nod, but it really sets up theWickedmovie as a love letter to the world of Oz and the original film source material.
This is another direct visual parallel toThe Wizard of Oz,similar to the vintage Universal logo. Not only is this a cool visual nod, but it reallysets up theWickedmovie as a love letterto the world of Oz and the original film source material.
8The Rainbows Around Oz
It looks like it’s not hard to get to Kansas from Oz.
In the opening toWicked,at the beginning of the song “No One Mourns The Wicked,” the camera pans over Oz and audiences get to see many familiar sights. But one thing that many fans have noticed is that while the camera is seemingly “flying” over Oz,there is a moment where the camera shot flies over a rainbow. This is a clear reference to the most famous song inThe Wizard of Oz,“Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” This rainbow is not the only rainbow inWicked,either.
This is a clear reference to the most famous song inThe Wizard of Oz,“Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”
Throughout the film, there are several moments with rainbow imagery, including in the song “The Wizard and I.“These rainbow moments, including the camera shot literally going over the rainbow, are a great connection toThe Wizard of Ozthat ties the whole Ozian world to a physical symbol.
7Dorothy Gale With Her Ozian Friends
The girl from Kansas is also seen walking down the yellow brick road.
Right after the camera shot flies over the rainbow in “No One Mourns The Wicked,“the most obvious visual Easter egg appears. Viewers see Dorothy, played byJudy Garlandin The Wizard of Oz, (holding the witch’s broom); the Tin Man; the Scarecrow; the Cowardly Lion; and Toto fromThe Wizard of Oz.They are shown walking down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City.
Because of this moment,fans ofThe Wizard of Ozcan immediately connect the upcoming song and scene inWickedto where it was chronologically inThe Wizard of Ozstory. Plus, this is just a great visual moment that has pulled on the heartstrings of lovers of the Oz stories.
The Munchkins keep this ‘Wizard of Oz’ classic close to their hearts.
In addition to visual Easter eggs and references,Wickedalso has musical references toThe Wizard of Oz.One of these musical references also comes at the beginning of “No One Mourns The Wicked,” when the first five notes of a familiar song are played loudly by brass. These five notes are the first five notes of “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead” fromThe Wizard of Oz.
This one in “No One Mourns The Wicked” is one that really sets the tone for the film by connecting it to its original source material.
There are actually multiple musical references toThe Wizard of OzinWicked’smusical motives. This one in “No One Mourns The Wicked” is one that really sets the tone for the film by connecting it to its original source material.It connects a song fromThe Wizard of Ozto a song inWickedat the very beginning of the film.
5The Ruby Slippers
The shoes worth dying for are found in Galinda’s closet.
Many fans have noticed that Nessarose (Melissa Bode), Elphaba’s sister, is wearing silver slippers inWickedrather than the iconic red slippers fromThe Wizard of Oz.The explanation for this surrounds copyright reasons surroundingThe Wizard of Oz,and the silver slippers are also a reference to the original bookThe Wizard of Oz.In the original novel,Dorothy’s slippers were silver, but in the film, they changed them to redtoshow off the new Technicolor.But inWicked,there is actually a reference to the ruby red slippers fromThe Wizard of Oz.
In the scene where Galinda sings “Popular,” she gives Elphaba many items of clothing. During this,Galinda grabs a pair of ruby-red slippers that resemble the ones fromThe Wizard of Ozand hands them to Elphaba. Galinda also taps together the slippers three times before handing them to Elphaba, making this a direct, fun reference toThe Wizard of Ozwhere Dorothy taps her red heels three times to go home.
4The Witch Riding a Bike
Before she flies a broom, Elphaba rides a bike to save a lion cub.
InThe Wizard of Oz,Miss Gulch (Margaret Hamilton), the Wicked Witch of the West’s Kansas counterpart, famously rides a bike.She is shown riding a bike when taking Toto at the beginning of the movie, and then is shown cycling in the tornado that brings Dorothy to Oz before she turns into the witch. Well, inWicked,thisfamous part of the witch’s characteris referenced.
In the scene where Elphaba is saving a lion cub inWicked,she puts the cub in the basket of a bike, just like how Miss Gulch put Toto in the basket of the bike!
In the scene where Elphaba is saving a lion cub inWicked,she puts the cub in the basket of a bike, just like how Miss Gulch put Toto in the basket of the bike! Then,Elphaba gets on the bike and rides it while the lion cub peeks out of the basket. This shot inWickeddirectly reflects the scene of Miss Gulch on her bike inThe Wizard of Oz.It is a fun nod to the origin of Elphaba’s character.
3The Witch’s Long, Manicured Nails
Elphaba might not have many friends, but her nails always look great!
One trait that Elphaba has inWickedthat mirrors the Wicked Witch of the West is her long, pointy nails. This trait is one that the witch inThe Wizard of Ozis iconic for, so Elphaba having these nails is a great reference to that. There is even one scene where Elphaba is studying, andas she lifts her hands, a shadow is cast onto the book of her hands. This shadow looks just like the hands of the witch fromThe Wizard of Oz!
One trait that Elphaba has inWickedthat mirrors the Wicked Witch of the West is her long, pointy nails.
Additionally, actress Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba inWicked,recreated an iconic photo of Margaret Hamilton, who played the witch inThe Wizard of Oz.In this photo, the women each pose with extended clawed nails, their shadows showing on the wall. It is clear that the nails are animportant aspect of Elphaba’s physical characteristicsthat connect her back to the original witch.
2Nessarose’s Striped Socks
These socks foreshadow a dark fate for Elphaba’s sister.
Nessarose, Elphaba’s sister inWicked,wears striped socks throughout the film. This is a physical reference toThe Wizard of Ozand the iconic shot of the house onthe Wicked Witch of the East, the Wicked Witch of the West’s sister. In this shot fromThe Wizard of Oz,her legs are shown wearing striped socks or tights while the iconic red ruby slippers shine on her feetbefore they disappear and her legs shrivel under the house.
InWicked,Nessarose not only wears the silver slippers that will jump-start the plot ofThe Wizard of Oz,but in many of her outfits, she wears striped socks.
InWicked,Nessarose not only wears the silver slippers that will jump-start the plot ofThe Wizard of Oz,but in many of her outfits, she wears striped socks.This directly mirrors what she would wear when meeting her end in the original source material.
1The Power of Poppies in Oz
Elphaba uses these flowers to put her classmates to sleep.
InThe Wizard of Oz,there is a scene in a poppy field where Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) fall asleep in the poppies, the flowers putting them to sleep.The Wicked Witch of the West is the one that casts a spell to make the poppies do this. Well, inWicked,Elphaba does the same thing during a class at Shiz. This scene happens so that she can save a lion cub. In the scene, Elphaba uses poppies to put her class to sleep so that she has the chance to rescue the captured lion cub.
In the scene, Elphaba uses poppies to put her class to sleep so that she has the chance to rescue the captured lion cub.
This scene creates a great connection betweenElphaba’s powers in WickedandThe Wizard of Ozthat is very interesting to watch. The scene inWickedhints at the future, but it hints to a scene that audiences already know will happen. All the references toThe Wizard of OzinWickeddo a great job of connecting the two stories in the greater world of Oz.
NEXT:The 10 Differences Between the ‘Wicked’ Movie and the Stage Show
