Sarah and I just had an exchange over text about Wicked because the new trailer just dropped and we were deciding who would write it. 

 

The issue is that movies are usually Sarah’s department and Wicked is a BIG movie – two BIG movies. But… Sarah haaaaaaates musicals. I don’t love musicals like as an overall life principle (like Duana) but there are musicals that I will f-ck with for life, like Les Miserables and Hamilton. The added complication, though, is that I know f-ck all about Wicked, LOL. Sorry, I missed that year in pop culture class, OK? This is my confession: it is my job to be generally knowledgeable in pop culture and Wicked is a giant gaping hole for me. Didn’t read it, haven’t seen it. 

 

But the reason it’s me writing this post is because, after watching this trailer, I am converted! Whatever is happening here looks GREAT. The production design is gorgeous. Whoever Cynthia Erivo is supposed to be, like this chosen one misfit Luke Skywalker/Katniss Everdeen/Harry Potter/ thing? I’m into it. I am always into Michelle Yeoh and I’m definitely into that hair colour on her, and it surprised me when, near the end of the trailer, she turns into a baddie. We don’t need to get into why Jonathan Bailey is a perfect prince (I’m assuming he’s a prince because this is a story with castles and tiaras and there are always princes around when castles and tiaras show up) but then there’s the Grande of it all. 

Ariana Grande… is a F-CKING DELIGHT. At least she is in these three minutes. 

 

And of course she would be. Because she knows this assignment. She knows how to play this girl, the Regina George of Oz, the frenemy at first and then the BFF. Who knows that, ultimately, she’s not the main character. And isn’t vibing like she wants to be.

All of this is exploding off the screen in this trailer, a trailer that does the job it needs to do. Because people who know Wicked were already in. It’s people like me it has to convince – and, yes, it’s made me a believer. Wicked will take over this fall. We won’t be able to get away from it, especially on social media. And now I can say… I’m not mad about that!