The new Wicked movie has dazzled critics and dominated the box office, but its director still felt the need to defend one of the film’s most debated aspects: the color grading.
Some moviegoers have taken issue with the film’s more muted tones, especially when compared to the vibrant Technicolor magic of the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz.
Jon M. Chu, who helmed the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway smash starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, addressed these critiques head-on after the film was called ‘a little desaturated’ during an interview with The Globe and Mail.
‘I mean, there’s color all over it,’ Chu said. ‘What we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place. Because if it was a fake place, if it was a dream in someone’s mind, then the real relationships and stakes that these two girls are going through wouldn’t feel real.’
Chu went on to explain that his goal was to present Oz in a fresh way, one that audiences hadn’t seen before.
‘It’s been a matte painting. It’s been a video game digital world,’ he noted. ‘But for us, I want to feel the dirt. I want to feel the wear and tear of it. And that means it’s not plastic.’
Jon M. Chu, who helmed the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway smash starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande , addressed critiques head-on after the film was called ‘a little desaturated’ during an interview with The Globe and Mail
‘I mean, there’s color all over it,’ Chu said. ‘What we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place. Because if it was a fake place, if it was a dream in someone’s mind, then the real relationships and stakes that these two girls are going through wouldn’t feel real’
The film’s color grading, Chu explained, mirrors the deep connection between the characters and the land they inhabit.
The vast landscapes, natural light, and creatures of Oz are central to the story, particularly how Elphaba’s presence gradually shapes the world, with the color contrast intensifying as her influence grows.
However, Chu’s explanations didn’t exactly win over all fans, with some taking issue with his emphasis on realism.
‘Counterpoint: movies are dreams and can look as bold and crazy as dreams do. Why not? Who is demanding this realism?’ one fan retorted.
Another added, ‘The real world isn’t desaturated.’
And one user didn’t mince words, bluntly stating, ‘The film is lit like an insurance commercial.’
The color scheme has been a hot topic on social media ever since the first-look images were released in April.
And when asked about criticism that those early images were too dark, Chu had an explanation.
However, Chu’s explanations didn’t exactly win over all fans, with some taking issue with his emphasis on realism
The color scheme has been a hot topic on social media ever since the first-look images were released in April
‘I chose those images specifically,’ he admitted at the time in an interview with Variety.
‘It was so early, and we had just started shooting. I wanted images that were evocative and provocative to show it’s not some bright, poppy story.’
‘We didn’t even have the effects done. The background was blue. I had to have VFX put in the sky. I was coloring it on my iPhone,’ he added, clearly unbothered by the early criticism.
The defense comes as Chu also offered one piece of advice for those going to see the film – as some viewers have been complaining about sound issues.
He encouraged fans to take their audio experience into their own hands in a social media post on November 23 ahead of the film’s opening weekend.
Posting on X he penned: ‘Tell your movie theater to turn it up to a 7…
‘I’ve gone to a couple screenings and they are more like a 6.4. If you want it the way it was intended 7 is the way.’
His comment refers to sound levels for the Dolby audio systems used in some cinemas.
The news comes after it was reported that British filmmaker Stephen Daldry was originally set to direct the spectacle and had big plans to cast Lady Gaga as Elphaba and Shawn Mendes as Fiyero
Dolby then responded to Chu’s post, writing underneath: ‘We’ve got you covered.’
The news comes after it was reported that British filmmaker Stephen Daldry was originally set to direct the spectacle and had big plans to cast Lady Gaga as Elphaba and Shawn Mendes as Fiyero, according to a source who spoke to Page Six on Tuesday.
The Born This Way singer even met with the production team multiple times to discuss her take on the character.
‘They had meetings, the two of them, about the character and who she would be. [Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through,’ the insider revealed.
But Daldry’s vision never came to be—he left the project in 2020 due to scheduling conflicts.
Enter Chu, who took over as director and reimagined the cast, ultimately bringing Erivo on as Elphaba, Grande as Glinda the Good Witch, and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero.
