'Wicked' Hailed as 'a Masterpiece' in First Reviews: Will Ariana Grande Get an Oscar?

Wicked has stuck the landing with critics and fans as many have pointed to Ariana Grande's performance as a standout one.

Directed by John M Chu, the new screen adaptation of the Broadway hit stars Grande as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. The film has been split into two parts with the first part coming out next month on Nov. 22. It acts as an origin story for the popular Wizard of Oz characters, who forge a bond while attending school.

Despite the film not releasing until next month, that has not stopped the rave reviews for the project from coming in.

"I was 'pessimistical' going in, but...WICKED is a masterpiece. Ariana Grande makes Glinda sparkle: she milks every moment with gusto, humor and hair flips. Jon M Chu added so much new life to the story that I can see why it needed to be 2 parts! Well worth the 20-year wait," Variety film reporter Katcy Stephen said.

Journalist Simon Thompson was wowed by the movie's spectacle.

"#WickedMovie is an Oz-some spectacle that pops and enchants on the big screen. An absolutely stunning vision. Leads Erivo and Grande knock it out of the park. While this perhaps won't convert many anti-musical folks, genre fans and die-hard Ozians (Wickhards?) will feast on this," he said.

Variety's Jazz Tangcay also sang the praises of the movie and the two leads.

"The world is not ready for how great @wickedmovie is. Jon M. Chu, Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande have gifted us a musical masterpiece that is much more than we could have ever expected. Ariana & Cynthia will blow you away. The production design and costumes are a visual spectacle," she said.

Kristin Chenoweth, who originally played the role of Glinda in the Broadway version shared her praises for the movie.

"Oh my gosh, I just saw the movie, and I'm dying. I'm deceased; I'm actually dead. I'm not here," she said.

The 2025 Oscars are set to take place on March 2 and it would not be a shock for Grande to be nominated as the supporting actress category has long been a welcoming home for musical performances.

Some other notable past nominees include Catherine Zeta-Jones' win in "Chicago" and Meryl Streep's nomination in "Into the Woods."

If she manages to get a nomination, Grande could also face off against Lady Gaga for her role in the Joker sequel as well as Selena Gomez for Emilia Pérez. The nominations for the 2025 ceremony will not be announced until Jan. 17, 2025.

Tags

Ariana Grande, Wicked, Cynthia Erivo