Credit: Universal PicturesIf you’ve seen Wicked (2024), we need to talk. (If you haven’t seen Wicked yet, come back later – we’ll talk then).
Based on the stage musical of the same name, Wicked is touted to be one of 2024’s biggest box office hits. With the way things are going, that’s kind of inevitable. Starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda, the film follows the origin stories of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North, set to one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time – and audiences are loving it.
Even before its official release, Wicked made $19.2 million from preview screenings, already offsetting over 10% of its budget. The film has received rave reviews, especially for Erivo, Grande, and Jonathan Bailey’s performance as Fiyero.
Gregory Bailey, who penned the book on which the original musical is based, praised the trio as their characters come to life, writing, “Their ability to inhabit their characters – and Jonathan Bailey’s ability too – were intimidatingly powerful.”
When a movie is received this well, a few things are inevitable. One is a sequel, something that’s already guaranteed by the fact that Wicked was split into two parts for the adaptation, with Wicked Part Two (2025) due in theaters next November. Another is merchandise. A third is, if the rights are in place, a theme park attraction.
Consider this our plea—our heartfelt appeal—for Universal to make it happen.
Wicked was produced by Universal Pictures, which already ticks the licensing box. Its theme parks have long thrived on lands inspired by deeply immersive fantasy words.
The likes of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and the upcoming Dark Universe, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD are all solid examples, with their own rich source material that lends itself well to the theme park experience.
It goes without saying that Wicked ticks all of the same boxes, as does The Wizard of Oz (1939) – to which the film technically serves as a prequel, midquel, and sequel, all wrapped in one. The world is colorful, expansive, and deeply ingrained enough in the public consciousness to translate into popular theme park attractions.
Imagine the Yellow Brick Road, leading to a land for which the Emerald City serves as a grand centerpiece, à la Hogwarts Castle.
Rides could pull from everything from Elphaba’s gravity-defying flight – complete with a few encounters with flying monkeys – to Dorothy’s tornado trip to Oz. An ornate structure of the Wizard’s palace could host its own immersive take on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. We could meet the Tinman, Scarecrow, and Lion. (Honestly, we’re not picky – we’ll take whatever we can get).
It wouldn’t be the first time a Universal park has implemented part of the Oz universe.
Universal Studios Japan previously hosted a condensed version of the Broadway production in a Land of Oz area. Right now, you can find Wicked retail experiences at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort, where character meet-and-greets with Elphaba and Glinda have also popped up on occasion.
Should the latter prove popular (which we assume it most definitely will), we see no reason why Universal wouldn’t explore more ways to utilize the IP in the future. There’s already an expansion pad reserved for Epic Universe. Here’s to Wicked snatching up that slot ASAP.
Would you like to see a Wicked theme park land?