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Credit: Universal PicturesThe world is eagerly anticipating Wicked (2024), based on the hit Broadway musical. The movie stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.
And, in case you haven’t noticed, Wicked is everywhere. The film has taken over social media, department stores, and Starbucks and has even partnered with Hilton and Lexus.
Wicked opens the weekend before Thanksgiving and is expected to be a huge hit. Most experts expect the movie to bring in at least $100 million in its first weekend, and it could become just the third film of 2024 to reach the $1 billion mark. However, Disney’s Moana 2 (2024) , releasing the following weekend, could blunt some of Wicked’s box office momentum.
While the film is only in its early previews, most of the reviews for the first part of the Broadway remake have been positive. The movie’s second part will be released just before Thanksgiving 2025.
As one would expect, Wicked plans to make most of its money from families and children. As such, Universal Studios has advertised the movie in places where families can see it.
Universal brought Wicked to its theme parks, and much like Disney would do, it has an incredible lineup of toys to hook children on the film before it even hits theaters.
Universal inked a deal with LEGO and Fischer-Price to create a new line of toys just in time for Black Friday. However, the height of Universal’s efforts is a partnership with Mattel to develop Wicked dolls.
The company behind Barbie (2023) has some experience turning a toy into a billion-dollar film. Still, this time, Universal is relying on Mattel to create buzz around its toys before the movie hits theaters. However, that is proving to be a massive mistake.
Parents have started to notice that the website on the Mattel dolls does not direct kids to the website for the Wicked film; instead, it directs kids to a pornographic website.
The film’s website is www.wickedmovie.com. However, the website on the box is www.wicked.com, which is a pornographic website. The correct website for the film appears on all the other toys created for the movie.
The official Mattel Wicked dolls link to a porn site on the box 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/iW4mNVAlPE
— just2good (Sarah Genao) (@just2goodYT) November 9, 2024
The oversite will cost someone their job for not checking to ensure the website is correct. Mattel has not commented on the mistake.
Parents should ensure their children do not go to the website listed on the Mattel doll box. Otherwise, there will be a lot of explaining.
Wicked, the movie, not the pornographic website, hits theaters on November 22.