For the most part, Wicked, since it was officially announced for release with this cast, gathered significant attention from people, all thanks to the Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater drama. Since then, fans have been keeping an eye out for the film to hit theaters!
Everyone has their own reasons for excitement; while all the theater kids have been looking forward to enjoying the movie with all the nostalgia, the rest look forward to the drama behind the scenes. Whether negative or positive, the film has been getting attention! Thus, naturally, there was bound to be a conversation about its poster as well. While Cynthia Erivo has called out a fan-made poster, voicing her disgust, her reasons aren’t the same as why fans hate it!
Cynthia Erivo Unhappy with Fan Edit of Wicked Poster!
This week, Universal Pictures dropped a fabulous new poster for the Jon M. Chu-directed Wicked, giving a playful nod to that iconic Broadway look we all know and love.
In the original Broadway poster, Elphaba is mysterious, with her eyes hidden and rocking a smirk with bold red lipstick. But in the film’s version, Cynthia Erivo’s eyes are on full display as she serves a fierce green lip that’s impossible to ignore!
Thus, some fans decided to have some fun and edited a version to mimic the classic poster, presumably meaning no harm. However, it did not sit right with Erivo and thus voiced her displeasure. She took to Instagram and stated,
This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful AI of us fighting, equal to people posting the question, ‘is your p*** green.’ None of this is funny. None of it is cute. It degrades me. It degrades us.
The original poster is an ILLUSTRATION. I am a real life human being who chose to look right down the barrel of the camera to you, the viewer… because, without words we communicate with our eyes, Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face and hide my eyes is to erase me. And that is just deeply hurtful
The movie is set to premiere in two parts, with the first part hitting theaters this year and the second one following in 2025, around the same time. Wicked has been the talk of the town for quite a while, and excitement is building to finally see it on the big screen!
With a powerhouse cast alongside the legendary Cynthia Erivo, the film also features Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, and many more. It’s undoubtedly shaping up to be an unforgettable experience!
The Real Reason Fans Dislike the Wicked Poster!
However, it turns out that the reasons some fans don’t feel the poster run deeper. For those voicing their concerns, it’s not about Cynthia Erivo’s face or eyes at all; they simply think the poster looks cheap or even ugly.
The overall vibe just doesn’t sit right with many who grew up loving the musical. It’s a matter of nostalgia and expectations, and this poster hasn’t quite hit the mark for them!
Here is what the fans are saying about it,
However, all this chatter is only fueling the excitement, making fans even more eager to see the film! Only time will tell how everything unravels, but the anticipation is definitely building!
Wicked hits theaters on November 21st, 2024!
