By now, Wicked fans would have heard about a unique error that had the potential to traumatize children. Dolls for the movie musical were packaged with a QR code that led to a porn site, instead of the movie’s official website.
Merchandisers unfortunately listed the QR code with Wicked.com instead of Wickedmovie.com. A simple mistake in hindsight, but it led to catastrophic results. The musical Wicked appeals to many demographics and these dolls were specifically geared towards younger audiences. But while a massive PR problem on one side, this mistake led to a capitalist dream for others.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, these dolls have been snapped up and are now going for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Though the dolls originally were sold for under $40, they are now marketed for a higher price, listed with the advertisement of “Porn Misprint.” Following this misstep, Mattel swiftly issued an apology statement regarding the situation:
“[We] deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children.”
While merchandisers attempted to do damage control by scrubbing retailers of the offensive material, some were still sold and now can be grabbed on secondary websites. This content is of course inappropriate for younger generations who just want to see a magical movie about friendship, but parents should be apprised of all mature content regarding the popular franchise.
The Wicked book is not for young eyes
While the Wicked musical was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s revisionist book, there were many changes made from the subject material. The author was intrigued by the nature of evil. Are people born evil or are they shaped? Maguire delves into these topics and more mature themes. Elphaba, who goes on to be the Wicked Witch of the West, is born out of a loveless marriage. Her mother has many affairs, one resulting in a green-skinned child. Elphaba is so abhorred that her mother worries about the birth of her sister, Nessa Rose. She takes remedies, hoping it will mean the girl won’t be born green, but she is instead born without arms.
The stage musical changes this depiction, instead electing to put Nessa in a wheelchair. This is a surface-level change that generally has the same results. Elphaba resents her sister because of her beauty but needs to care for her. Other changes are made to lighten the heavy material. In the book, Elphaba eventually has an affair with Fiyero, who is married with children. The Wizard kills his family and takes his daughter, Nor, as a slave. Elphaba also becomes part of a terrorist organization and becomes the mother to Fiyero’s love child.
All of this is changed to make the movie musical more family-friendly. Events such as political assassinations, infidelity, and sexual assault are present in a book that could easily be mistaken for being child-appropriate. Of course, it is up to every parent to determine what reading level or material their child is ready for, but Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West is not for the faint of heart. When the Wicked movie musical premiers in November, however, it will be a haven for many age groups who just want to see a fun and already highly praised musical.