Universal Pictures has amplified its promotional push for Wicked in recent weeks with a series of posters that have certainly done their job to generate interest for the film ahead of its November release. The marketing strategy has been great so far, with pre-sales said to be second to only Deadpool & Wolverine this year. However, one poster in particular seemed to rub fans the wrong way due to a slight alteration in the design, which pays homage to the Broadway musical’s original promotional art. In response, some fans tried to make the current movie poster look more like the original, deeply offending star Cynthia Erivo in the process.
The original poster art for the Broadway show is an illustration that shows Elphaba with her signature hat covering her eyes, with Glinda leaning over and whispering in her ear. The latest movie poster for Wicked is a clear homage to that artwork, but Elphaba’s eyes are not blocked by her hat, allowing you to see Erivo’s eyes as Ariana Grande’s Glinda whispers in her ear. Many fans altered the poster and posted it on various social media platforms with Erivo’s eyes covered, using AI and other photo editing tools to do so. They may have thought they were doing something cool with the image, but Erivo took to her Instagram story to reveal how “offensive” the edited version was and called out other changes to the image, detailing AI tools that were used to depict the two characters fighting.
Fans have certainly played fast and loose with the poster image, making references that Erivo pointed to on her Instagram story. Some might think the alterations are funny, while others may believe that they’re making the image look more similar to the original promo art for the Broadway show. Still, it’s easy to see why the actress would be offended, since Erivo’s face being shown front and center on the poster likely means a lot to her, and it makes this adaptation stand out from the musical that inspired it. Another one of the AI alterations that Erivo referred to in her story can be viewed below.
Wicked Is Headed for Box Office Gold
None of this is likely to take the shine off of Wicked, which is looking to have a massive debut at the box office if pre-sales are any indication. Some analysts think an opening weekend of $120 million+ isn’t out of the question, which would make it the biggest movie musical opening in years. As of late, the marketing for movie musicals tends to hide that the projects are actually musicals, but that’s not the case with Wicked. Plus, fans of the Broadway show know what they’re getting into, so no amount of hiding it would keep them away from seeing this film on opening weekend.
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Directed by Jon M. Chu from a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, Wicked is the first of a two-part motion picture adaptation of the popular Broadway musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman. Based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire, the film adapts the first act of the musical and follows Elphaba (Erivo), years before she becomes the signature Wicked Witch of the West, as she begins her studies at Shiz University and develops a friendship-turned-rivalry with the girl who becomes Glinda the Good (Grande). The film also stars Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle, Peter Dinklage, and Marissa Bode.