WICKED, one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, arrives on your screen as a generation-defining cinematic sensation. The untold story of the witches of Oz, WICKED stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman who has yet to discover her true power, and Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman who has yet to discover her true heart. The two meet at Shiz University and forge an unlikely friendship – before their lives take different paths following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Their extraordinary adventures will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Wicked is an immersive, cultural celebration you’ll want to experience over and over again!

For in-depth thoughts on Wicked, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Wicked offers a dazzling presentation for one of the biggest spectacles of the year. The Dolby Vision enriches the colors to sumptuous heights when it comes to vibrancy. The various environments throughout the film are replete with colors within the confines of the controversial photographic choices dictated by director John M. Chu and captured by Alice Brooks. While the film itself could be a bit more vibrant and colorful, the home entertainment presentation captures every choice with a distinct accuracy. Whether you are taking in the green of Elphaba’s appearance, the bright costumes worn by Glinda, or the magnificent hues of the special effects, you will remain in awe of what this presentation is offering up.

The highlights are concretely defined with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. You also have elements in the film taking place in the cover of darkness which are vivid and finely delineated. This is especially helpful as characters find themselves in shadowy enclaves. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and makeup. This 4K UHD Blu-Ray presentation really delivers on all fronts including strong showings in clarity and color. Fans will be thrilled to have this version on their shelves.

Audio Quality

This release comes with a wonderful Dolby Atmos presentation that delivers an ideal sonic experience from beginning to end. From the opening, the sound design is set to deliver an expansive experience befitting a musical with distinct elements emanating from every direction. Sounds are appropriately rendered with precise directionality from the numerous set pieces to interpersonal moments of dialogue. This dialogue is presented with perfect clarity without ever being overshadowed by any of the competing sonic elements.

Every musical number is wonderfully enveloping and serves as one of the high points of the experience. Ambient details are plentiful and quite satisfying in the rear and overhead channels. These overhead channels serve to complement the other channels which adds a nice sense of space to the mix. Things get especially inventive when certain characters take flight. The narrative provides an all-encompassing soundscape that kicks in throughout all the speakers. The low end response is perfectly attuned to what this story needs and delivers in all respects. Those with a robust sound system will have quite a bit of fun here.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: Two commentary tracks are provided in which the creative team dive deep into the film from both a technical and emotional perspective. The actor commentary track is by far the more entertaining one, but Chu does relay some anecdotes that make it worth a listen.

- Audio Commentary #1: Director Jon M. Chu

- Audio Commentary #2: Stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande

Sing-Along Version

Deleted and Extended Scenes: There are ten unused scenes provided which provide some nice moments between Elphaba and Glinda that fans will love to see, but it makes sense why they were cut to maintain a good pace. Some of these scenes are presented in an unfinished form.

Making Wicked: A really great 46-minute making-of documentary is provided in which the cast and creative team delve into the creation of the film from the casting to the choreography, production design, and beyond.

Welcome To Shiz: An eight-minute featurette that looks at the creation of Shiz University including the costumes, the set design, various contraptions, and more.

A Wicked Legacy: A nearly five-minute piece that reflects on the legacy and personal connections to the stage play and how the Wicked movie pays tribute to it in various ways.

The Wonderful Wizard: A four-minute look at Jeff Goldblum, the creation of Oz, the special effects work, and more.

Final Thoughts

Wicked has been a long time coming for fans of the stage musical. When it was announced that the film would be split into two parts, there was understandably some pushback from those who believed this to be purely a cash grab. While some may feel this way, this initial half of the story stands as its own grand outing that stays true to the material while giving it life for a new generation. This is thanks in large part to the ensemble who bring their characters to life with such joy and passion. The relationship between Elphaba and Glinda is the core of the story, and you fully buy into this tragic arc. The direction from John Chu is sturdy, but there are some stylistic choices that dampen the excitement ever so slightly. That being said, we are still very excited to experience the second half of this story later this year. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released the film on 4K UHD Blu-Ray which features a splendid A/V presentation and an impressive assortment of special features. Recommended

Wicked is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this film free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.