Popular theory: ‘Wicked’ has theme-park possibilities
Which theme park is witch? That’s one burning question that “Wicked” fans have as speculation grows that the film, spawned from a Broadway musical, might be turned into a real-life attraction.
A possible connection with a Universal park somewhere is strong because the film was released by Universal Pictures, which is under the Comcast corporate umbrella with Universal theme parks, including Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and the upcoming Epic Universe.
The pot was stirred further after a published report with comments about the movie by Mark Woodbury, chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences.
“When I saw it, my first reaction was, ‘This is a theme park waiting to happen,’” he told the New York Times last month.
That’s far short of an official announcement, but Dennis Speigel, founder of International Theme Park Services, had a similar reaction to the film and its park potential.
“I think it’d be phenomenal, off the chart, but I would say that’s probably five years away maybe,” he said. “It would not surprise me if they already have a design underway.”
The “Wicked” theming would blend well with Epic Universe theme park, set to debut in Orlando on May 22, Speigel said. But he expects the franchise to be “in every Universal park” worldwide, he said.
“This movie is so in tune with the technological times in which we’re living and building parks. They’ve got the colors, the costuming, the characters,” Speigel said. “It just needs to have the technology associated with it in the right way.”
Just before the film opened in November, Universal Studios Florida theme park introduced Wicked: The Experience in Orlando. It’s a hybrid of merchandise sales, movie memorabilia and photo opportunities. Its building, located near the park entrance, has housed items related to big names such as Lucille Ball, Betty Boop and Hello Kitty in years past.
Orlando resident Jade Ganci liked the park experience, she said, and the prospect of a “Wicked” land appealed to her, too. She would like rides in the theoretical area and to see Emerald City and Shiz University, she said.
“I would love that. I think that’d be amazing,” Ganci said.
“I’ve seen the actual [stage] production. I’ve seen the movie,” she said. “I perform, I sing, and so every time I have the chance, I’ll sing something. I’m a big ‘Wicked’ person.”
Universal: Another round of Wizarding World wands — break out the butterbeer
“Wicked” has taken in more than $729 million at the global box office since its Nov. 22 opening. The musical, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which is based on “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire.
That’s all based on “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” written by L. Frank Baum in 1900 and turned into the beloved 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland. In the ’70s, there was a Broadway musical called “The Wiz,” and the subsequent film starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
Since the 2024 film came out, the Broadway show has been at 100% capacity, grossing more than $42 million. “Wicked: For Good,” the second half of the film adaptation is set to be released Nov. 21.
“It really became one of the great kind of foundational narratives and foundational fictional universes of American culture,” said Robert Thompson, trustee professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University.
A theme park presence is a natural idea, Thompson said.
“You’re not risking, well, ‘Who knows about Oz? Does anybody care about Oz?’ I mean, it’s been around for a century, and it’s not going anywhere,” he said.
Movies and theme parks both feature escapism elements.
“Cinema is all about creating these illusory spaces, and the automatic extension of that is actually turning it into three dimensions – not 3D that needs glasses, but 3D that actually is 3D,” Thompson said.
“‘Wicked’ is pretty, let’s say, ‘theme-park friendly,’” he said. “Let’s see, what rides will we have? … The main song is ‘Defying Gravity.’ One doesn’t have to think too hard. … Go to the movie, and you can see how the theme park would work.”
But right now there’s no official word on when, where or if a Wicked World is coming. Universal Destinations & Experiences has multiple projects in the works, including Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round spooky attraction in Las Vegas, and Universal Kids Park, a 32-acre attraction in north Texas. There’s also documented interest in a Universal theme park in England.
“Universal has a history of being slow-handed on their development of a theme park, selecting the site, constructing it, designing it, preparing it, constructing it,” Speigel said.
“I think in the day and age we’re living in, I think with the momentum that Universal has developed, not only here in Florida, but around the world – Beijing, Osaka – I think we’ll see it develop quicker,” he said.
Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.