I'm Genuinely So Excited For "Wicked" After Spotting These 11 Important Details In The First Official Trailer

The dear old days at Shiz are finally here! On Wednesday, the trailer for the highly anticipated Wicked film starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda dropped, and oh boy, does it give us a great look at the cinematic adaptation of the first half of the blockbuster musical.

In case you didn't know, Wicked is split into two films. The first will be released on Nov. 27. It'll tell half the story, and the second will be released almost exactly a year later, on Nov. 26, 2025. Here's the trailer for the first film:

The trailer included so many notable details that any Wicked fans will geek out about and dive deep into interpreting it. I already have, so here are some of the standout moments that caught my eye:

1.The film opens with a shot of the Emerald City that resembles the iconic Wizard of Oz image of Lion, Scarecrow, Dorothy, and Tin Man making their way to the Emerald City.

2.Alongside this introductory scene is a voiceover of Glinda asking the question, "Are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" She poses this question in the musical's first song, "No One Mourns the Wicked." The question also serves as the overall conceit of the film, which is an origin story of how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West as depicted in The Wizard of Oz.

3.Similarly, the first shot of Elphaba shown in the trailer is of her heeled boots while arriving at school at Shiz University. While not confirmed to be the meaning, I took this as a nod to Dorothy's ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz, as the 1939 film was the introduction to the Wicked Witch of the West for many.

4.Glinda and Elphaba share a dormitory room, and Glinda has overwhelmingly dominated the space with all her pink items. However, did you catch that the ceiling is painted with images of plants? I took it as symbolism that, although Glinda is controlling her roommate's surroundings, Elphaba is literally rising above her commanding "friend."

5.While the teaser trailer and various promo images have given us glimpses of many of the characters in the film, the trailer finally showed Shiz professor Doctor Dillamond, who Peter Dinklage voices.

6.There's also a teaser of what looks like a humorous scene of Bronwyn James and Bowen Yang playing the little-known characters, ShenShen and Pfannee. If you didn't know, they're friends of Glinda's at Shiz who find the black pointed hat Glinda "gifts" (to put it kindly) to Elphaba.

7.In the back of the Ozdust Ballroom scene, there is also someone who appears to be Nessarose, Elphaba's younger sister.

8.In April 2023, photos of Ariana shooting a scene as Glinda wearing a pink ball gown went viral. Now, the trailer shows what that scene actually will look like in the film:

9.Notably, the trailer features a flashback to Elphaba as a child, seemingly being made fun of by her peers. As the scene plays, Glinda is heard saying, "Don't be afraid," which she says in the musical before the song "Defying Gravity" begins. This likely signals that Elphaba is recalling the courage she gained in her youth to embark on her brave journey away from Oz as an adult.

10.Notably, this last voiceover is also an iconic moment from the musical. After Glinda says, "Don't be afraid," Elphaba responds, "I'm not afraid. It's the wizard who should be afraid of me." Again, this is what the two witches say before singing "Defying Gravity."

11. Finally, the film's director, John M. Chu, tweeted that the trailer dropped on the birthday of L. Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. His book inspired the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked, which inspired the musical that inspired the new film. Did you follow all of that?

Twitter: @jonmchu

Of course, these are just 11 details from the trailer that stood out. So, what did I miss? In the comments below, tell us your favorite moments from the trailer and what you're most excited for when the film finally hits theaters this fall.