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Wicked is the first of a two-part movie musical that was released in theatres worldwide on November 22, 2024. It is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz and follows the journey of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), Galinda (Ariana Grande), and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) several years before the events of the main film.
The film follows Elphaba (who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West) as she enrolls in Shiz University to hone her magic skills. She befriends Galinda (who later becomes Glinda the Good) and the prince of Winkie Country, Fiyero Tigelaar.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the movie is adapted from Wicked The Musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. It also derives from Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The original story is based on the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.
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Although the underlying story is the same, the movie diverts from the books and the musical in several places, much like how the musical itself broadens the scope of the books. A love triangle between the three characters remains the central theme in the movie and the musical.
Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked
Jonathan Bailey, best known for his roles as Anthony Bridgerton in the hit period drama Bridgerton (2020 - present) and Tim Laughlin in the miniseries Fellow Travelers (2023), plays the role of the charismatic Fiyero Tigelaar in the movie.
Fiyero Tigelaar is the rebellious prince of Winkie Country who arrives at Shiz University and immediately captures the attention of everyone on campus with his charm and devil-may-care attitude. The only exception to this is Elphaba, who takes time to warm up to Fiyero, despite running into him and his talking horse alone in the dark one evening. This memorable scene is a departure from the musical, where Elphaba and Galinda meet him together during his striking entrance.
Despite initial reservations, Fiyero and Elphaba eventually warm up to one another. At the end of the movie, after Elphaba goes to Emerald City and is declared a fugitive, Fiyero is seen riding away from Shiz University on his horse, possibly in search of Elphaba.
Bailey's performance as the colorful Fiyero has already received widespread praise, as per Elle. His version of the musical number Dancing Through Life has amassed over 2.3 million streams on Spotify so far.
The movie also features Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Bronwyn James as ShenShen, Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, and Peter Dinklage as the voice of Dr. Dillamond.
What is Fiyero Tigelaar's fate in Wicked the Musical and in The Wizard of Oz?
In both the musical and the book, Fiyero is appointed as the Wizard's Captain of the Guard, a position he hopes will enable him to find Elphaba. His unwavering loyalty to her, however, proves to be his downfall, thereby highlighting a sad message of social injustice.
In Gregory Maguire's text, Fiyero sacrifices himself for Elphaba but is heartbreakingly transformed into the scarecrow whom we meet in The Wizard of Oz. The musical tries to improve Fiyero's tragic fate by having Fiyero executed by the Wizard of Oz for his loyalty to Elphaba, who, by that point, is notorious as the Wicked Witch.
It is still unknown which one of Fiyero's storylines the movie will follow. The second installment of Wicked is set to release in November 2025.
