This article contains spoilers forWickedandSpellbound.WithWickednow streaming on Peacock, fans may be looking for other movies like the musical adaptation.Wickedhad an incredible worldwide box office runwhile also becoming a hit when it was released on video-on-demand platforms. Now a whole new audience can discover the movie while fans have the chance to rewatch it frequently as it lands on Peacock. WatchingWickedall over again is a reminder of why this film is one ofthe best movies of 2024; it is a stunning and extraordinary adaptation of the hit Broadway musical.
There are several movies that resembleWickedin some way, whether it is because of the twist on a classic tale, another Broadway musical adaptation, or a special magic system at the heart of the story. These movies are already available to stream on various platforms, leaving fans the opportunity to watchWickedfrom the comfort of their homes and also check out some of the other movies that capture the same spirit.
After the success ofSam Raimi’sSpider-Manmovies, the filmmaker decided to take on another iconic property withOz the Great and Powerful. LikeWicked, Oz the Great and Powerfulis a prequel toThe Wizard of Oz, also focusing on a minor character and their backstory to the events of the classic movie.James Franco stars as Oz,a con artist and trickster who finds himself in a magical placewhere he establishes himself as a powerful wizard while also creating a stir with the local witches.
I’ve Watched Wicked 4 Times & This Is Still The Movie’s Best Scene
I’ve seen Wicked on the stage and screen, but there’s one scene in the movie that made me appreciate Elphaba & Galinda’s story in a whole new way.
The movie is a star-studded affair with Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz as the future Wicked Witches and Michelle Williams as the “good witch.” Kunis' Theodora is not as good-hearted asWicked’sElphaba, but the film also presents her as a misunderstood character who was driven to her evil ways rather than simply being a villain for no reason.The Wizard of Ozfans can explore this new look at the mythology on Disney+.
The Wicked Witch of the West is one of the mosticonic movie villains of all time, so it is quite impressive thatWickedis able to reimagine her story and turn her into a sympathetic character. Such is the case for the Disney live-action filmMaleficent, whichtakes the legend ofSleeping Beautyand putsthe focus on the evil witch Maleficent(Angelina Jolie). Delving into the story, Maleficent is shown to be, not the envious and cruel sorceress, but a mistreated and scourned victim who is looking for revenge.
Both movies are moving reinterpretations of iconic villains seen in a new light and given justice for their story.
Wickedmakes Elphaba a more sympathetic and heroic character as the evilness she is accused of is a complete fabrication, whereas Maleficent has hardened over time and Jolie has a lot of fun playing the character’s morally complex persona. However,both movies are moving reinterpretations of iconic villainsseen in a new light and given justice for their story.Maleficentand its sequel,Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, are available on Disney+.
Cruellanot only succeeded in being a live-action Disney retelling that actually adds something new to the story, but also succeeded where Sony’sSpider-Manuniverse failed in making a villain a worthwhile protagonist in their own origin story. It also helps that it istwo-time Oscar winner Emma Stoneleading the movie as she plays Estella, a poor girl with an eye for fashion who sets out on a mission to take down the rich fashion designer who wronged her.
Like how Cynthia Erivo’s Oscar-nominated performance inWickedmade Elphaba a character with so much more depth,Stone’s performance as Cruella de Vil is funny, charming, and moving. The film is also a thrilling heist movie of sorts with Estella concocting elaborate ways of taking down her powerful enemy while also cementing herself as London’s most impressive fashion icon. Like the original101 Dalmatians,Cruellais currently available to stream on Disney+.
One of the big emotional draws ofWickedis seeing how Galinda and Elphaba, two characters presented as enemies inThe Wizard of Ozhave this deeper history as friends. This is the same approach taken with the latest entry intheTransformersfranchise,Transformers One. The animated movie takes audiences to the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron with a storycentered ontwo robots who are like brothers but will eventually grow to be mortal enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron.
Along with the storyline of friends becoming enemies, the movie also follows aspects ofWicked’sstory as it explores a deep conspiracy at the center of Cybertron. However, while the film is a fun and action-packed ride with humor and colorful characters, in the movie’s third act, the fractured central relationship becomes truly captivating and heartbreaking as these friends are torn apart.Transformers Oneis available on Paramount+.
In its exploration of the “true story” behindThe Wizard of Oz, Wickedis filled with hilarious gags and details that allow it to have a lot of fun poking fun at this world of wizards and talking animals. The movie dives into the wilder and even scandalous aspects of this world, subverting a lot of the audience’s expectations. This is similar to the fun had intheShrekmovieswhich pick apart the “fairy tale” world in a hilarious way.
The firstShrekfilm remains the best of the bunch with its irreverent humor and iconic characters. The story follows the titular ogre whose life in isolation is interrupted when he is dragged into a mission to rescue a princess.Shrekis a much more comedic movie compared toWicked, yetboth films take well-known fantasy tropes and have some fun with them. They also both feature a central message about not judging based on looks as taught by a misunderstood green character.Shrekis available on Peacock.
Spellbound
Cast
Spellbound, directed by Vicky Jenson, follows Princess Ellian on her adventurous quest to rescue her family and kingdom. As a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters, Ellian must navigate this perilous journey to restore the King and Queen of Lumbria.
Skydance Animation produced an animated feature film that premiered on Netflix on August 03, 2025:Spellbound.The film follows a young princess named Ellian, who is now responsible for breaking the curse that turned her parents into monsters and sent their kingdom into chaos.Spellboundhas an epic voice cast of characters, including Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Tituss Burgess, Nathan Lane, John Ratzenberger, and Jordan Fisher. This talented cast also produceda stellar soundtrack forSpellbound, with music composed by the renowned Alan Menken.
AlthoughSpellboundisan animated movie, it is still an excellent follow-up toWicked. Both films are fantasy adventure musicals with compelling magic systems. Furthermore,SpellboundandWickedboth feature bittersweetness in their endings.Wicked’s endingportrays Elphaba and Glinda going their separate ways and choosing their own paths.Spellbound’s endingis happier, but it still contains a surprisingly bittersweet element because Ellian’s parents permanently split—but it does not change their love for her.
Wonka
Wonka is a prequel film to Roald Dahl’s classic novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and follows the origins of the legendary candy maker. From his first encounter with the Oompa Loompas to founding his deliciously magnificent headquarters, Wonka explores the character in a new light. Timothee Chalamet assumes the role of Willy Wonka himself.
Wonkais another great movie to stream, given its commonalities withWicked.Wonkaisa prequel to the 1971 filmWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the same way thatWickedis a prequel toThe Wizard of Oz. The Willy Wonka prequel follows the titular character in his early days as a candy maker as he strives to establish his business while his competitor, Arthur Slugworth, schemes to bring him down.Wonkareached major milestones during its box office run, being one of only seven films to gross more than $600 million worldwide.
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Willy Wonka got an origin story in 2023, but will Timothée Chalamet’s take on fiction’s most famous chocolatier get followed up with Wonka 2?
Wonkawas so successful that there might be a sequel, but other than “half a draft” of a script,Wonka 2has not been officially confirmed.Wonkais available to watchon MAX. Otherwise,Wonkais available to rent or buy on various digital platforms, including Apple TV+, Google Play, and YouTube.
The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid is a live-action remake in the same vein as many of Disney’s others, like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. Halle Bailey stars as Ariel, a young mermaid who desperately wants to see the world above the ocean.
The Little Mermaidis a live-action adaptation of the 1989 beloved animated classic of the same name. However,The Little Mermaidhas also been adapted for Broadway, similar to Gregory Maguire’sWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is the bookWickedis based on. Broadway adaptations and their source materials often portray significant changes, which is no different forThe Little MermaidandWicked.TheWickedmovie has several big changes from Gregory Maguire’s book, while Disney’sThe Little Mermaidsignificantly differs from Hans Christian Andersen’s original tragedy,
The Little Mermaid’s narrative is highly character-driven, given that the story focuses on Ariel and her desire to become human.Wicked’s narrative is also character-driven for a different reason—Elphaba desires to work on her powers to meet the Wizard. Furthermore,both movies have stellar soundtracks, with songs such as “Part of Your World,” “Defying Gravity,” “Under the Sea,” and “One Short Day.” The live-action adaptation ofThe Little Mermaidis available to stream on Disney+, and it is also available to rent and buy on various digital platforms.
tick, tick… BOOM!
Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his feature directorial debut with tick, tick…BOOM!, an adaptation of the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionized theater as the creator of Rent. The film follows Jon (Academy Award nominee and Tony Award winner Andrew Garfield), a young theater composer waiting tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. Days before he’s due to showcase his work in a make-or-break performance, Jon is feeling the pressure from everywhere: from his girlfriend Susan, who dreams of an artistic life beyond New York City; from his friend Michael, who has moved on from his dream to a life of financial security; amidst an artistic community being ravaged by the AIDS epidemic.
At first glance,Tick, Tick… Boom!seems so different fromWicked.Tick, Tick… Boom!is a semi-autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, whileWickedis a fantasy musical that explores a different interpretation of the classicWizard of Oz.The former is grounded in reality, while the latter takes place in a fictional universe with talking animals and magic. However, both movies are productions based on Broadway musicals, and both films have received high praise from critics:Tick, Tick… Boom!andWickedreceived identical scores of 88% onRotten Tomatoes.
Both movies are productions based on Broadway musicals, and both films have received high praise from critics:Tick, Tick… Boom!andWickedreceived identical scores of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Furthermore, Andrew Garfield won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role inTick, Tick… Boom!, whileWickedwon Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and received countless more nominations. Both movies have received numerous accolades, which isa testament to how Broadway musical adaptations for the big screen can dominate the film industryif the adaptation is done correctly.Tick, Tick… Boom!is a Netflix original movie, so it is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
Descendants
Descendants, directed by Kenny Ortega, is set in a modern kingdom where the teenage son of King Adam and Queen Belle offers redemption to the children of classic Disney villains, including Maleficent’s daughter Mal and Jafar’s son Jay.
Descendantsis a Disney franchise that began with a movie trilogy, which quickly expanded into a series with multiple movies, short films, TV shows, and books. The originalDescendantsmovie trilogyis aboutfour teenagers who are the children of notorious Disney villains. They grew up on the Isle of the Lost, where Prince Adam and Belle banished all Disney villains after they got married. However, Adam and Belle’s son, Ben, wants to give Villain Kids—also known as VKs—a chance to live in Auradon, the combined kingdom of Disney fairy tales.
Novel Series
July 05, 2025 – June 27, 2025
Descendantsfollows Mal, the daughter of Maleficent, Carlos, the son of Cruella de Vil, Jay, the son of Jafar, and Evie, the daughter of the Evil Queen, as they navigate Auradon as VKs.Descendantsissimilar toWickedbecause the story is a musical reimagining of Disney fairy tales, the wayWickedis a reimagining ofThe Wizard of Oz.All threeDescendantsmovies—as well as the countless short films, shows, and TV specials—are available to stream on Disney+.
