Years ago, Elric Kane, a renowned film director and co-host of the Colors of the Dark podcast, engaged in a podcast discussion with his film students. One student's statement has lingered in Kane's mind for nearly a decade: "The first 90 minutes are free, but you gotta earn every minute after that." This idea suggests that the average moviegoer can handle a one-and-a-half-hour movie, but if it extends beyond that, it must offer significant value. For the most part, Kane tends to agree with this sentiment. He loves long movies, like "RRR," but despises bloated films that overstay their welcome. Denis Villeneuve, the director of "Dune Part Two," faced criticism for its two-hour and 46-minute runtime, yet the film was critically acclaimed and earned over $714 million at the box office. On the other hand, Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" stretched nearly three and a half hours and needed defending after a disappointing box office run, although it recouped its losses on video on demand.

Unraveling the Challenges of Translating "Wicked" from Stage to Screen

The Trouble with Translating "Wicked" from Stage to Screen

Musical theater and cinema have distinct structures. Despite "Hamilton" being one of the biggest musicals in the last 25 years, some viewers found it overwhelming. Theatre engages with the live audience, while film is more presentational. There is a greater sense of suspension of disbelief in stage productions as the audience is already invested. In the 1950s and 1960s, movie musicals like "West Side Story," "The Sound of Music," and "My Fair Lady" included intermissions to honor their Broadway roots and justify longer runtimes. If a film adaptation moved too quickly like a musical, it wouldn't translate well, so extra time is beneficial. In the case of "Wicked," the split is necessary. It allows Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's performances as Elphaba and Galinda (later Glinda) to breathe. Their journey from enemies to friends becomes more believable and less reliant on musical theatre trappings. Act I of "Wicked" ends with the show-stopping "Defying Gravity," which was designed to bring the curtain down and create a powerful moment before the intermission. Songwriter Stephen Schwartz cited this as a reason for splitting the film. "Defying Gravity" is not only the best song in "Wicked" but also one of the greatest belt solo numbers in musical theatre history. Audiences need a break after this moment as it is difficult to follow. This is a challenge faced in Bill Condon's adaptation of "Dreamgirls" as well.

After "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," simply moving on feels like tonal whiplash. The same applies to "Wicked" where losing important moments from the stage to screen would be a tragedy. The stage musical already left out significant parts of Gregory Maguire's book, and further cuts in a film adaptation would be a loss. However, splitting the film into two parts seems like the right decision. It gives the story more space to breathe and develop.

Wicked is a Musical Epic and Should be Treated as Such

"The Wizard of Oz" is a cinematic classic, but L. Frank Baum's original book contains more lore. The "Wicked" stage musical is similar, presenting a story about female friendship, discrimination, and governmental corruption. Translating this narrative from stage to screen without rushing it would likely mean sacrificing important moments. Jon M. Chu's adaptation of "In The Heights" was well-received but some stage musical moments were cut for time. In "Wicked," the stage musical already left out key parts of the book, and losing more in a film adaptation would be a shame. Hopes are high that Jon M. Chu and the team added back important elements to make the film a more complete adaptation. Splitting the film into two parts feels right, but waiting a year for "Wicked: Part Two" is another story. "Wicked" is now playing in theaters, inviting audiences to experience this musical epic on the big screen.