Wicked Star Criticizes “Offensive” Edited Poster and AI Dispute with Ariana Grande

Cynthia Erivo, who portrays the Wicked Witch of the West in the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked, has expressed her outrage regarding the digitally altered poster, labeling it the “most offensive thing”she has ever encountered.

Alongside Ariana Grande, Erivo is set to bring to life this beloved musical, which is already anticipated to become one of the highest-grossing films in 2024.

While there is widespread enthusiasm about this 21st-century musical making its way to theaters, it has not been without controversy. One key point of confusion surrounds the trailers, which have yet to clarify that this film is the first installment in a two-part series, with its sequel slated for a late 2025 release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6COmYeLsz4c

Wicked – Official Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6COmYeLsz4c)

Significantly, the official poster diverges from the musical’s original artwork in two major ways: Elphaba’s face is now visible, and Galinda’s hand only partially obscures her face. This change seems motivated by the studio’s desire for audiences to recognize the actresses, prioritizing visibility over accurate representation of the classic poster.

Nevertheless, fans responded negatively to these alterations, creating their own version of the poster that reinstates Galinda’s hand covering more of Elphaba’s face and utilizing the shadow of Elphaba’s hat.

Cynthia Erivo responds to the altered “Wicked” poster and the viral AI-generated animation of a fight: “Our poster is an homage, not an imitation. To edit my face and obscure my eyes is to erase me, and that is incredibly hurtful.” pic.twitter.com/R7jGz0Nxnx

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 16, 2024

Sharing both versions of the poster on her Instagram story, Erivo condemned the edited one as “the wildest, most offensive thing I have ever seen, equally as bad as that awful AI animation of us fighting, and akin to people asking, ‘is your ***** green.’”

She expressed her disdain further, stating, “None of this is amusing. None of it is endearing. It diminishes me and us.”

Erivo emphasized the significance of the original poster: “It is an illustration. I am a real human being who chose to engage directly with the camera, knowing that our eyes communicate even without words.”

“Our poster serves as an homage, not a mere copy. Editing my features and obscuring my gaze equates to erasing my identity, which is deeply painful.”

Wicked is set to premiere in theaters on November 26, 2025. With the release date approaching, the Wicked x Stanley collaboration has already created buzz in Target stores.

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