These new ‘Wicked’-themed Starbucks drinks are either going to make you defy gravity or pass out before intermission

Capitalism is part of any big-budget release, especially the highly-anticipated film adaptation of Wicked. But instead of picking up some NSFW popcorn buckets, Starbucks entices you to its stores.

The coffee corporation has announced it will release two themed drinks to coincide with the film’s theatrical debut. Naturally, each selection will take after the two leads of the film: Elphaba and Glinda (formerly Galinda). The new drinks will officially release on Oct. 22, a month ahead of Wicked‘s release date. Starbucks released a breakdown of what fans can expect from these delicious elixirs.

Glinda’s Pink Potion: Features a Mano Dragonfruit Starbucks Refresher beverage hand-shaken with creamy coconut milk, ice, and a scoop of real, freeze-dried dragonfruit. The drink is topped with nondairy strawberry cold foam and finished with an “Oz-dusting of magic,” aka colorful candy sprinkles.

Elphaba’s Cold Brew: Features Starbucks Cold brew, a custom blend of beans crafted to steep long and cold for a “super-smooth cold brew coffee.” The drink is sweetened with peppermint-flavored syrup, topped with nondairy matcha cold foam and colorful green candy sprinkles.

USA Today also reported that further movie tie-in merchandise can be expected. Branded drinkware and Starbucks cards will be released in the coming weeks. Starbucks will be going all out for this promotion, even designing a unique gold gift card/keychain containing a minimum amount of $50. This treatment is what fans can expect when the film hits theaters for Thanksgiving.

Wicked is set to bring fans back to the movies

A film two decades in the making, Jon M. Chu’s Wicked film depicts the origins of Glinda, the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West, born Elphaba. These roles were debuted by Broadway powerhouses Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel respectively in the Wicked stage musical of the early aughts. Based on the book of the same name by Gregory Maguire, the stage show twists the narrative portrayed in The Wizard of Oz.

The film stars Arianna Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the title roles and will show how two people can become at odds in the most unexpected ways. The two bourgeoning witches meet at Shiz Univeristy, but could not be more different. Not only do their aesthetics differ greatly, but Elphaba is also the only magic-user with trueborn power. At first, the two get off on the wrong foot, but then they nurture an undying friendship that ultimately gets torn apart.

A commentary on racism, the patriarchy, and the nature of good and evil, Wicked is the sort of movie made to unite audiences. It may have taken years for the film to reach the masses, but there is no better time for it than now. Wicked promises to bring heart, spectacle, and dance numbers to its audiences. Practically made to be in the theater, the movie could bring fans to the big screen in droves. Starbucks is capitalizing on this heavily, but there is no denying its charm. Excitement continues to brew for the film before its exclusive theatrical release on November 22, 2024.