Top 10 Wizard of Oz Easter Eggs in Wicked: Part 1

With all the next-level marketing for this movie, you’ve probably spotted the “Wicked” logo on everything from t-shirts to coffee mugs. Yet, for the movie itself, they opted for a totally different font. It’s a small, subtle change but a genius nod to where it all started—yep, it’s the same style used in “The Wizard of Oz” title card! “Wicked” tells the story of Oz long before Dorothy stirred up a storm, but as you probably know, her story overlaps with what’s coming in Part Two. The “To Be Continued” card at the end of Part One also uses that same font, tying the past and future together in one perfect little detail.

As Elphaba gets ready to board the train to the Emerald City, Galinda—now Glinda—keeps referring to the train conductor by his mustache. At first, it feels like a throwaway joke (let’s be honest, it’s quite the facial feature; we’d probably do it, too). But here’s the fun part: it may reference one of the busiest actors on “The Wizard of Oz” set. Frank Morgan played multiple roles, including Professor Marvel, The Gatekeeper, Carriage Driver, a Guard, and of course the Wizard himself. In most of those roles, he sports some rather hearty mustaches. Much like the conductor, he essentially also has the task of bringing our protagonists to their audience with the Wizard!

In “The Wizard of Oz,” we learn how the Wizard ended up in Oz. “Wicked” honors his roots with small details referencing his past circus career. One of his tricks involved a hot air balloon, which, as we saw, was also the vehicle that brought him to Oz. Indeed, a hot air balloon follows the Wizard throughout Part One. We see it in little Elphaba’s pop-up book, and he even uses one to send Elphaba an invitation to his palace. Perhaps the most obvious reference is the hot air balloon Elphaba and Glinda try to escape in, seemingly the very same one that first brought the Wizard to Oz.

If you’ve seen the Broadway show, you know Glinda’s bubble dress is blue, but for this movie, they went pink—just like Billie Burke’s famous dress in the 1939 film. For costume designer Paul Tazewell, the moment Glinda comes down in her bubble and steps out in that beautiful pink “fairy princess” gown is one of the most striking images, and it inspired her look here. Even the details of her dress reflect her bubble! Tazewell imagined Ariana Grande stepping out of her bubble to reveal her own stunning pink dress. It’s a beautiful modern take on the classic gown that would probably even make Burke’s Glinda a little envious.

Whether you know it or not, you’ve already met Dorothy’s future companions in Part One of “Wicked.” Where, you ask? Well, in one of director Jon M. Chu’s favorite easter eggs, Fiyero stands between two pillars with his arms outstretched, almost Scarecrow-like. Then, when Boq introduces himself to Galinda, he awkwardly holds a mallet over his shoulder, creating a silhouette that might look something like this. Finally, there’s the poor little lion cub Elphaba and Fiyero rescue. Its little head pops out of the basket as they cycle it away to safety. Now, where have we seen that image before? It’s no coincidence, either—the music from that scene plays in the background here, too.

We’ve talked about how “Wicked” follows the yellow brick road from the 1939 movie, so it’s only right to mention the actual road. In “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy’s journey begins from a spiral in Munchkinland, which is alluded to during “No One Mourns the Wicked.” The film even gives the path its own origin story! The Wizard shows Elphaba and Glinda his plans for “The Oz of Tomorrow,” but it’s missing a final touch—a vibrant color for the path to the Emerald City. Elphaba and Glinda settle on yellow, though the Wizard would probably never give them credit! After all, he built it so that Ozians can “Follow (follow follow follow)” it back to him.

In the opening scene of “Wicked,” young Munchkinlanders race through a field of tulips to deliver the news about the Wicked Witch. According to production designer Nathan Crowley, they actually planted 9 million tulips to resemble a rainbow. The film also throws back to the poppy scene from “The Wizard of Oz,” where the Wicked Witch uses the flowers to put Dorothy into a deep sleep. In “Wicked,” Elphaba brings a bunch of poppies to Doctor Dillamond—his favorites—but never gets to give them to him. When their new history teacher ignores the lion cub’s trembles, Elphaba’s outrage makes the poppies levitate, knocking out nearly everyone in class! Talk about planting seeds for the fans!

One of the genius parts of Stephen Schwartz’s music in “Wicked” is how he honors Herbert Stothart, who composed “The Wizard of Oz” score. Before anyone even sings a note, we get our first musical reference when the kids run through the tulips. You can also hear echoes of “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” in songs like “Defying Gravity” and “One Short Day,” where you can also hear hints of this. Fans might recognize the “Over the Rainbow” melody in the “Unlimited” theme. If you’re thinking, “But they don’t sound the same!”—they use the same notes, just at a different tempo and with new chords. It goes one step further in “The Wizard and I” scene, with an actual rainbow and birds flying.

Come on, could we even talk about “Wizard of Oz” easter eggs without mentioning the cameo from the OG gang? At the start of the movie, in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, you can spot Dorothy and Toto walking down the Yellow Brick Road with the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion (Oh my!). And yes, Dorothy’s carrying the Wicked Witch’s broomstick! This ties in perfectly with the film’s opening, where Glinda confirms the Wicked Witch’s death to the Munchkinlanders. This is the only time we see Dorothy and her crew in Part One, but as we mentioned earlier, her storyline picks up in the second half, with the trailer even teasing her arrival for her audience with the Wizard.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Too Bad Madame Morrible Wasn’t There When Dorothy Threw That Bucket of Water

We’ve Never Seen a Horse Like That Before! Well, Maybe Once…

If There’s a Little Model of Nessarose in There, We Hope She Was Well Clear of This Flying House!

Miss Coddle Uses “Gulch” in Place of Hiccup When She First Meets Elphaba, Who Isn’t Yet Enrolled at Shiz.

If You Say L. Frank Baum Very Slowly, You’ll Almost Find Yourself Saying El-Pha-Ba

Few images are quite as iconic as Dorothy clicking her heels together in those ruby red slippers. Of course, they would go on to become one of the most famous pairs of shoes in the world. “Wicked” decided to go with the original silver pair instead, complete with clever details like tornado-shaped heels. Oh, and did you catch Nessa’s stripey socks? But don’t worry—those ruby reds get their moment, too. During “Popular,” as Galinda gets ready to give Elphaba a makeover, she picks up a pair of red shoes. In a perfectly thought-out homage, she even clicks them together three times before handing them over! Definitely a “Popular” easter egg for fans to obsess over.




Did you spot any other easter eggs that made you say there’s no place like the original source movie? Let us know in the comments