There’s a conversation that’s been happening over on our Substack, The Squawk, about the Wicked marketing campaign. Some feel that it’s been too much, especially because they started so early. As I wrote in my weekly mailbag column on Friday, though, these days, and with a movie of this budget, you can’t take risks on awareness. But also, for the people who’ve been waiting for this movie, this is the kind of blanket, full blown promotional blitz that they want. They can’t get enough of the content. 

 

For me, personally, I don’t have an attachment to Wicked. As I’ve said before, I’ve never seen the Broadway production so I don’t come to this movie with the same kind of emotional investment. That said I understand how people feel about Wicked because the way they feel about Wicked, I feel about Les Miserables. And ahead of that movie’s release (can you believe it’s been TWELVE YEARS?), I wanted all of it. All the trailers, all the appearances, if TikTok had been around then, I’d be one of those people clipping and sharing and crying and commenting on every single piece of footage. 

 

That said, the Wicked team released something today that made me, for the first time, almost emotional about the movie. Today is the most I’ve ever wanted to see it, because of this new featurette. Mostly it has to do with director Jon M Chu. The way Jon’s projects have just gotten bigger and BIGGER AND BIGGER. From Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never to G.I. Joe to Crazy Rich Asians to In The Heights… 

And now Wicked, both parts… 

Jon’s ascent has been steady and also spectacular. This is thrilling to see – how he’s built on all his opportunities and is now one of the go-to film directors for movies of this scale, requiring huge set pieces, an insane amount of coordination and vision, and of course musicality. 

 

Because this trailer really leans into the musicality. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are singing live, and they are showing the receipts. They sound gorgeous, both individually and together. But the brilliance of this preview is also how emotional it is, which of course highlights the power of music. Music is mood, music is connection, this is why some consider it the most bonding artform. It didn’t just bond the musicians but also the people on set. There’s a great shot at the midway point of the crew’s reaction to one of Cynthia’s performances. They were clearly moved by what they just saw and what, collectively, they’d all been working on. 

So, back to the marketing? When it’s as well done as it is here, how can you be mad?