10 Movies to Watch if You Love Wicked

If you love all things Oz and aren’t quite ready to click your ruby slippers and head back home, there are plenty of other films that take place in the Oz universe. Sam Raimi fans (think Evil Dead and Spider-Man) will likely enjoy the offbeat vibe of his 2013 film Oz the Great and Powerful — an origin story for the Wizard himself. Soul music fans, however, will probably thrill to The Wiz, Sidney Lumet’s iconic Harlem-set retelling of the original story starring Diana Ross, Richard Pryor, and Michael Jackson. 

But of course, the classic Wizard of Oz from 1939 is still the gold (or at least yellow brick) standard for all things Good and Wicked — and if you liked Erivo’s performance as the Witch of the West, just wait till you get a load of Margaret Hamilton’s demented take on the role.

The other Oz film that deserves a standalone mention on this list, at least IMO, is Walter Murch’s genuinely strange and unsettling 1985 sequel, Return to Oz. This is a film for Oz fans who don’t mind a little horror in their fantasy (think Legend or The Witches), or even those who don’t mind something a little surreal. It’s probably the closest thing to a David Lynch version of an Oz film that we’ll ever see — unless of course you count Wild at Heart.

The film begins with Dorothy in a mental institution and features a wonderful collection of creepy characters, like Jack Pumpkinhead and, scariest of all, the Wheelers. 

If you enjoyed singing along to ‘Defying Gravity’ or “For Good” in the cinema, there are plenty of other film musicals that will have you belting out lyrics from your seat. The 1997 Cinderella, starring no less than Brandy and Whitney Houston, features plenty of fun songs and outrageous outfits. The Timothée Chalamet led Wonka is also plenty of fun; as is Annie; and, in its own way, as is Cats.

If I had to choose one to recommend, I’d probably suggest the 2014 adaptation of Into the Woods, a film that will feel pretty familiar to Wicked fans — as it also looks at well known fairy tales from a different angle. It also features the great Meryl Streep as a singing witch — so what’s not to like?

And speaking of looking at fairy tales from a different angle, the delightful 2007 Disney film Enchanted basically helped to invent that genre. The story follows a princess in waiting, named Giselle, as she travels from her typical animated world to modern day New York — imagine a mix of Shrek and Elf and you’ll have some idea of the vibe.

This was also the film that helped make Amy Adams a star, so even if you only know the actor from something like Arrival, you might enjoy seeing her in her breakout role.

When Wicked began its run on Broadway in 2003, it was one of the first attempts to reframe a famous story by telling it from a misunderstood antagonist’s POV. We now have a bunch of these, with as far flung films as Joker and Despicable Me arguably following the same blueprint.

One of the first to try was Maleficent — in which the evil witch from Sleeping Beauty (played wonderfully by Angelina Jolie) is given her own backstory and motive. If you love Wicked — especially for its message and its exaggerated costumes — you’ll probably love this one too.

If you liked Wicked and Maleficent, the 2021 film Cruella should be added to your watch list immediately. This is the film that does for One Hundred and One Dalmatians what Maleficent does for Sleeping Beauty and Wicked does for The Wizard of Oz.

As the title suggests, the film is an origin story for Cruella Deville that explores the legendary villain’s rise in the London (or at least a fantastical version of the city) fashion world. She is played by Emma Stone, so if you’re a fan of films like Poor Things or La La Land, this might be the one for you.

Of course, we can’t talk about all these alternative Disney films without mentioning a few of the originators. When it comes to sing-along songs, there are no shortage of classics to check out (or revisit) — like Aladdin, Frozen, Cinderella, Tangled, Peter Pan, and The Little Mermaid. 

If I had to choose one, for its sweeping romance, gorgeous animation and wonderful songs, it would have to be the 1991 version of Beauty and the Beast. At time of writing, it remains the only 2D animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. 

Sometimes, the best way to fill a fantasy film-shaped void is to dive back into another immersive fantasy film. For something with a similar level of imagination, dazzling colour and production design, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland seems as good a place as any to start.

This live action remake of the animated classic is not quite on the gothic level of Burton’s early work (like Edward Scissorhands) but if you like the director’s more recent output (like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), this should be firmly in your wheelhouse. 

While we’re on the subject of chocolate factories, this timeless 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story feels like a good fit for Wicked fans, not least if you’re also a fan of Return to Oz — even more than Wonka and the Burton version, there are parts of this film that feel genuinely strange and dark.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory features a few incredible songs and an iconic performance by Gene Wilder in the title role — so if you loved the actor in films like The Producers and Blazing Saddles, you’ll want to see him (or perhaps see him again) here.

Last but not least, if you like Wicked for its engaging blend of action and fantasy, make sure to check out Stardust — especially if you’re a fan of swashbuckling adventures like The Princess Bride or Pirates of the Caribbean. 

The film takes place in a world of fairies and sky pirates and stars Charlie Cox as a young man who falls in love with what he believes is a fallen star (Claire Danes). Oh, and Robert Dinero plays a pirate called Captain Shakespeare.