The magical film poster shows two witches – Elphaba and Glinda – extending their hands towards each other. What is Wicked 2024 about?
Wicked is an upcoming fantasy musical film directed by Jon M. Chu, scheduled for release on 22 November 2024. It is an adaptation of the famous musical of the same name, based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. The story takes place in the fictional world of Oz. It follows the fates of two witches, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch of the South). The film depicts their relationship from initial rivalry to eventual friendship. It also shows the events that lead Elphaba to become an ‘evil’ witch in the eyes of the people of Oz. There are still a few days until the film’s premiere. However, let’s turn our attention to the film’s poster. Let us carry out a semiotic analysis of it.
Denotative analysis
The poster shows two women – a green-skinned Elphaba wearing a witch’s hat and Glinda, dressed in a pink gown and holding a wand. The artist depicts both figures in gestures that suggest they are stretching their hands towards each other. This scene resembles the famous moment in Michelangelo’s fresco on the Sistine Chapel, where God touches Adam with his finger. In the background is a fairytale landscape with a castle on the horizon, as well as pink trees in bloom at the top of the poster. The advertising slogan is ‘Everyone deserves the chance to fly’. The designer uses pastel and magical colors throughout the entire design.
Connotative analysis. In search of answer: what is Wicked 2024 about?
The figure of Elphaba, with her green skin and hat, immediately brings to mind the classic image of the evil witch. However, her outstretched hand suggests a desire for contact, signifying a need for understanding and acceptance. Glinda, wearing a pink dress and holding a wand, symbolises kindness and purity, but her gaze and gesture also express a desire for connection. The slogan ‘Everyone deserves the chance to fly’ may refer to everyone’s right to self-realisation and to overcome their own limitations. This connotation shows Wicked not only as a story about the struggle between good and evil. It also presents the narrative as one about tolerance, acceptance, and friendship.
Commutation test
As a commutation test, we can imagine how changing the elements would affect the interpretation of the poster. If someone swapped the colors of the costumes, dressing Glinda in dark colors and Elphaba in light colors, they could introduce ambivalence about which character is ‘good’ and which is ‘bad.’ This shift would challenge viewers’ perceptions of morality in the story. This change would challenge the audience’s perceptions of morality in the story. In turn, changing the background to something more dark could enhance the atmosphere of mystery and darkness in the world of Oz. Changing the slogan to something more impersonal, such as ‘The battle of two witches’, could take away from the emotional depth of the poster, giving it a more conflicted tone, without the element of hope and acceptance.
The story of Elphaba emerges as a tale of becoming, in which everyone has the right to fulfill their own dreams and understanding. In this context, Wicked is a story of hope, tolerance and transformation.
What is Wicked 2024 about? Myth analysis
The Wicked poster references the myth of the struggle between good and evil, but at the same time transforms it. The image of two witches reaching out to each other challenges the stereotypical perception of ‘evil’ and ‘good’ characters. This suggests that the division between good and evil is not absolute. This story revisits the myth of the ‘witch’ (particularly the evil one). Elphaba, despite her appearance, may be a victim of misunderstanding, and her ‘evil’ may stem from society’s prejudices. In the context of the slogan ‘Everyone deserves the chance to fly’, the film breaks the myth of the ‘evil witch’ by suggesting that everyone deserves acceptance and understanding, regardless of their appearance or the opinions of others.
The poster for 2024’s Wicked advertises the adaptation of the musical. Viewers are invited to reflect on what ‘bad’ and ‘good’ mean. The text poses questions about the social construction of identity. Additionally, the story of Elphaba emerges as a tale of becoming, in which everyone has the right to fulfill their own dreams and understanding. In this context, Wicked is a story of hope, tolerance and transformation.