From stage to screen: how does the iconic Broadway Wicked soundtrack compare to the new film adaptation?

As the much anticipated film adaptation of the beloved musical Wicked hit theatres on November 22nd, fans and fellow Ozians have been waiting with baited breath to hear the film's soundtrack and whether it does the original Broadway production justice.

It is no secret that Wicked has been split across two films -with part two of the film set to be released in November of 2025 - as director Jon M. Chu stated that "as we tried to cut songs or trim characters, those decisions began to feel like fatal compromises to the source material that has entertained us all for so many years".

The first Wicked film is faithful to Act 1 of the musical, including the soundtrack. No songs were cut, however, 'One Short Day' has a notable addition that differs to the Broadway production. The song follows Elphaba and Glinda as they visit the Emerald City in order to meet the Wizard. The movie’s version of 'One Short Day' includes new bars of music sung by — much to any theatre kids' delight — Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth who were the the original Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway.

They sing their well-known riffs and humorously compete for attention throughout their performance. As members of the Emerald City Players troupe, Menzel and Chenoweth portray fabled Wise Ones who recorded their spells in a book called the Grimmerie. The film then follows Elphaba's transformation into a witch and the unleashing of her abilities which are ultimately made possible by the Grimmerie.

As for the second addition to the movie adaptation, audiences will just have to wait and see what changes, if any, have been made to the iconic songs captured in this musical. Who is to say if the Wicked movie soundtrack has changed us for the better, but because I listened to it, I know I've been changed for good!