Wicked: 10 Easter Eggs You Might Have Missed

Wicked Part 1 has been out for a while and it's breaking records. Fans of the beloved Broadway musical can finally see it adapted for the big screen. Now that the film has arrived, fans are discovering quite a lot of Easter eggs, related both to the musical and the original Wizard of Oz. Here’s a breakdown of 10 details that you may have overlooked in Wicked.

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1. A Nostalgic Logo Tribute

In honor of MGM’s 1939 release of The Wizard of Oz, Universal updated its iconic logo for Wicked. The film opens with a redrawn vintage Universal logo, followed by a new version of the Wicked logo designed to mimic the aesthetic of Oz.

2. Fields of Tulips as a Rainbow

The stunning tulip fields of Oz feature over nine million flowers, planted in the colors of the rainbow. This visual serves as a nod to The Wizard of Oz’s iconic song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

3. A Black-and-White Opening Sequence

The film’s opening sequence is a direct homage to the black-and-white introduction of The Wizard of Oz. Director Jon M. Chu hinted at a clever Easter egg during this sequence but left details a mystery for audiences to discover. Sharp-eyed viewers might notice Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion briefly returning to the Emerald City along the Yellow Brick Road. Their cameo sets the stage for the story’s beginning, where Elphaba (later known as the Wicked Witch) and Glinda first meet.

4. Iconic Red Shoes

The iconic red shoes appear during 'Popular'. Galinda offers them to Elphaba and clicks them 3 times together. Quite a reference!

5. Fiyero and Elphaba’s Lion Cub

During a scene where Fiyero and Elphaba rescue a lion cub, the characters’ bicycle ride recalls the iconic image of the Wicked Witch (as her Kansas counterpart, Miss Gulch) cycling with Toto in a basket.

6. Elphaba’s Full Name

While Elphaba’s full name, Elphaba Thropp, is rarely mentioned in the Broadway production, it’s revealed in the film. Author Gregory Maguire, who wrote Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, created the name using the initials of The Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum (LFB).

7. Nessa Rose’s Silver Shoes

Nessa Rose, Elphaba’s sister and the future Wicked Witch of the East, receives a pair of bejeweled silver shoes—a nod to Dorothy’s famous slippers in the 1939 film. Costume designer Paul Tazewell added a tornado-inspired design to the shoe’s heel as a tribute to the Kansas twister.

8. The Origin of the Poppies

Wicked introduces the origin of Oz’s magical poppy fields, showing Elphaba using an enchantment to put an entire classroom to sleep.

9. A Nod to Margaret Hamilton

Elphaba’s shadowed hand pays homage to Margaret Hamilton’s portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

10. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth Cameos

Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway, appear in the One Short Day number. Fans will also spot composer Stephen Schwartz and book writer Winnie Holzman in the same scene.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the Broadway production or grew up watching The Wizard of Oz, Wicked offers a magical cinematic experience filled with Easter eggs, nostalgia, and heart. Have you caught them all? Maybe watch the hit again and see if you can find more easter eggs this time.