Wicked

What’s it about?

Wicked reimagines the Land of Oz, focusing on the friendship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a fiery and misunderstood young witch with green skin, and Glinda (Ariana Grande), a charming and popular witch. While attending Shiz University, their bond is tested after an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum), leading them to make choices that shape their futures and the world around them.

The facts

• Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians)
• Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum
• English language
• Runtime: 160 minutes
• The film is the first of a two-part adaptation of the stage musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, loosely based on the 1995 novel ‘Wicked’ by Gregory Maguire.

Why did it get this rating?

This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Scary scenes

Aggressive flying monkeys chase two characters which may be frightening for young viewers. There is a decent jump scare when one of the monkeys crashes into a window, attempting to grab a character.  

A large mechanical head with a deep voice speaks briefly.

There is a threatening storyline about animals being captured in cages and forced to stop speaking, and one animal is arrested.

Bullying and sad scenes

A character is mistreated since birth because of their appearance. Their father and peers reject them, sometimes in a harsh and public way.

It is implied that a character's mother passes away. In one scene the character explains how they thought it was their fault because of their appearance.

Monkeys experience intense pain as they grow wings. One of the monkeys is shown screaming and thrashing about as the wings burst out of their back, and more monkeys are then heard wailing in the background as the same happens to them.

Sexual references

During a dance routine, it’s hinted that a character had an affair, however young characters are unlikely to pick up on it. In this scene, two characters flirt, and a narrator says “one thing led to another” before it cuts to the female character having a baby.

When content stays with you:

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?