The Wicked films spent more than a decade moving from announcement to release, with multiple date changes and a decision to split the adaptation into two parts.
By the time Wicked and Wicked: For Good reached theaters and home release, that long timeline had become part of how the project was covered, with fans tracking schedule shifts and strike‑related pauses alongside more standard casting and trailer updates.
Early screening reports focused on performances and craft, with outlets such as Entertainment Weekly noting strong reactions to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in the lead roles.
An early reactions piece, “Wicked first reactions praise Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in ‘masterpiece’ musical”, framed the film as a major entry in the current wave of stage‑to‑screen adaptations and highlighted how long audiences had been waiting to see this version.
On the press tour, short clips from interviews took on a life of their own, including an emotional exchange where a reporter discussed how Defying Gravity resonates with queer audiences and Erivo became visibly moved while Grande reached over to touch her hand.
Other segments—like a fashion‑week interview that drew criticism for Erivo’s curt reply and a later “aura” question that left both actors briefly at a loss—were cut into memes and reaction videos, generating comment threads from viewers who had not yet seen the films.
@medusarank Ranking Weirdest Cynthia And Ariana Moments 🤣 #cynthiaerivo #ariana #ranking #top5 #funnyvideo
♬ original sound - MeduRank
Taken together, the release schedule, advance reactions and these widely shared press‑tour moments turned Wicked into a sustained media event rather than a single release weekend.
For many viewers in 2026, awareness of the films comes both from the works themselves and from the surrounding interviews, reports, memes and online discussion that have followed them over time.