Wicked
Directed by Jon M. Chu
TheoScope Rating
Worldview · content · moral framework
Plot
A vivid reimagining of the classic The Wizard of Oz, Wicked spotlights the untold stories of Oz's most famous (or infamous) characters, namely the Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friend, Glinda the Good Witch. The show follows green-skinned star Elphaba from birth to college and through the life-changing events which eventually label her "wicked," introducing spoiled rich girl Glinda, local prince and heartthrob Fiyero and even the Wizard of Oz himself, a troubled man very unlike the one you may remember. As Elphaba, a passionate political activist if there ever was one, fights injustice and seeks to undo the mistakes of the past, dark secrets and personal tragedies shape the history of Oz, paying homage to the classic Wizard of Oz story while simultaneously changing fans' understanding of it forever. A cautionary tale about love, friendship and trust, Wicked effortlessly reveals that there are indeed two sides to every story.
Discern Score Breakdown
30%
30%
25%
15%
Audience Suitability
Kids
Under 10
Teens
10–17
Adults
18+
Family
Mixed ages
Content Flags
Wicked (2024) is a lavish, well-crafted musical fantasy that raises genuine questions about justice, identity, and the nature of reputation — themes worth engaging. Its worldview is progressive and secular, affirming individuality and resistance to power as its primary moral virtues, with no theological grounding. Parents of younger children should be aware of the occult-adjacent magic system and the emotional weight of the narrative, while parents of teens will find more to work with in terms of discussable themes about truth, justice, and the cost of integrity.
Pastoral Take
Wicked is a genuinely enjoyable and visually spectacular film with enough moral substance to make it worthwhile for families with older children and teenagers, but parents should go in with clear eyes about its worldview. The film's core ethic is 'be true to yourself and resist unjust authority,' which is not wrong as far as it goes, but it offers no transcendent anchor for those values — no God, no grace, no accountability beyond human judgment. Children under 8 may find the emotional intensity and occult-adjacent magic more unsettling than the PG rating suggests, so this is best suited for kids 9 and up with parental engagement; for teenagers, it's a rich film to watch together and then genuinely discuss, particularly around questions of truth, courage, and where we look for our identity and worth.
Discussion Points
- 1Elphaba is willing to lose everything — her reputation, her friendships, even her future — to stand up for the Animals being oppressed in Oz. Can you think of a time the Bible calls someone to do something similar? What does it cost to stand up for what's right, and do you think it's always worth it?
- 2The Wizard tells Elphaba that he manufactured fear of the Animals to keep people united and himself in power — he lied for political reasons and called it 'for the greater good.' What does the Bible say about using deception even for seemingly good ends? Can you think of any examples where someone in Scripture faced a similar temptation?
- 3Glinda chooses popularity and comfort while Elphaba chooses conviction and sacrifice. By the end of the first part of the story, do you think Glinda is starting to feel the emptiness of her choice? The Bible talks a lot about the difference between approval from people and approval from God — where do you think each of these characters is looking for their worth?
- 4The whole story of Wicked is built on the idea that there are 'two sides to every story' and that the Wicked Witch was actually the good guy. That's an interesting idea — but do you think it's always true that there are two equally valid sides? How do we figure out what's actually true and good, rather than just what the most powerful person says is true?
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Cast
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum
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