War has broken out in the United States. No one is safe, everyone must choose a side. And the decision is very linked. The question is only one, simple and direct: pink or green? Glinda or Elphaba? The good blonde witch or the evil (or not so evil) green witch of the West? The issue expands across cities and towns. The tie was real in Halloween costumes, America’s great unofficial patriotic holiday. The colors can be seen in hundreds of products merchandisingfrom specially customized luxury cars to cookware, clogs, cosmetics, sweatshirts or (seriously) pre-cooked macaroni, the popular mac & cheese. The fever of Evil It’s an unstoppable invasion. The latest world premiere, the Before American, took place in a Lincoln Center customized in pink and green, full of flowers and photographs and with long queues for hours before, in a New York where even its famous Christmas skating rink was sponsored courtesy of Evilfull of flags. YES. Pinks and greens. Its American popularity is explosive, but what about the rest of the world?
Evil (and now Wicked: Part II or, in the original, Evil: forevera play on words between “for good” and “forever”, which highlights the ending) is a devastating phenomenon in the United States. In the rest of the world, however, it is not able to penetrate as well. The figures speak for themselves. The first part, released in November 2024, was a blockbuster, with revenue of $760 million, but normally these successes They are thanks to their success beyond Hollywood. EvilNo. In his country he raised 475 of those millions; outside, 285. In the USA, in fact, it managed to recover its budget of 150 million in just five days. The way the film sweeps across popular culture and becomes ubiquitous in conversations is total. And not even its protagonists and its director, Jon M. Chu, can understand the reasons for this success.
Cinzia Erivo is the protagonist of the film, on which the plot revolves, even more so in the second part. With little voice, due to the long promotion, he spoke for a few minutes with EL PAÍS via videoconference. The 38-year-old British assures that she does not believe that neither she nor anyone else was able to predict what Evil it is being. “I think it was a big surprise for us to see how it was accepted around the world, but I’m very proud of it. That people have embraced us in this way, and see themselves reflected in these characters, and connect with this movie, with the story, with the characters, and with who they are. I think it’s something very special to be able to be a part of it, to be able to do something like this and, in a way, shake the world in some way, it’s wonderful.”
Specifically, for her, Elphaba Cala’s story resonates with many people because there are many who feel, like the green witch, that they are not in the right place, that they don’t belong. “Many of us, if not all, feel at some point in our lives that we don’t fit in, that we’re different and that we’re misunderstood, and I think Elphaba is sort of a representation of all of those things,” reflects the actress and singer. “To be able to see it on the screen, to see something that adequately describes what we feel inside, I think that’s something really special and something we can hold on to.” Chatting on the day of the film’s premiere, Erivo admits that she feels extremely proud of a project that she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to say goodbye to. “I think it’s going to be a part of me for the rest of my life, it’s more of a ‘see you soon,’” she admits. “But it’s nice to finally be able to give it to everyone, you know, we were the only ones who lived with it for a long time and now being able to share it with everyone is a wonderful thing.”
“No, we had no idea,” Ariana Grande explains of this overwhelming popularity. “We loved it.” EvilOf course for us there is nothing bigger, better or more beautiful than Evilwe were superfans before this. But, of course, you can never fully expect, you know, being able to share it in this way and receive the response that we received, there is no way to really prepare,” recognizes the protagonist in a press conference when asked by EL PAÍS.
“I also think that when it came to work, I couldn’t let my mind think about how it would be received, I just wanted to bury myself in the work and not even think about it. So we had no way to evaluate or prepare for what was on the other side, and it was really overwhelming, very beautiful. Look, we can share this with the fans, and the way they love us and embrace these characters,” explained the singer, who is already listed in the specialized media as one of the most possible Oscar candidates. “I hope that the love and forgiveness that (the protagonists) share, and their empathy for each other, even in the most heartbreaking moments, can stay with people. I hope that they are able to take that and apply it to their sisters, friendships and loves.”
Not even the film’s director, Jon M. Chu, expected such overwhelming success. “The fact is: who could? You can aspire to do it, you can expect it to happen, also because you want people to be interested in the work we do,” he acknowledges. “We knew it Evil era Evilso it would have had quite a fan base. But could we go further? “Could we influence the culture in some way?” mused the director, who finished filming this project almost two years ago. “It was really nice to see that people cared, that they felt moved by all of this and that it gave them some sort of hope in these difficult times. But we also knew that we had a second part coming, which was actually the most important thing. The goal of making Evil. So part of us was like, “I can’t wait for you guys to see part two.” Because once you’ve seen the second part, there’s no going back.”
That skyrocketing popularity, on the other hand, is difficult to transfer outside the United States. The reasons are also not very clear; in fact, there may be none or they may not be clear. Perhaps it is simply a cultural phenomenon that is not as easy to export as others. It’s not Barbiewho raised 1.4 billion of which 800 outside the United States; neither of them Avatarsthat of its almost 3,000 million – breathtaking -, 2,100 were in the world and 800 in the United States. The pair of singing witches has some elements that are not easy to export, including the very fact that they sing. And the music, although it can be translated into Spanish, is not as catchy as when it is created by the talented Stephen Schwartz, nine-time Oscar nominee (and winner of three statuettes). The professor in charge of Film and Media Studies at Penn State University, Matt Jordan, compares the phenomenon to American football: no matter how much it is translated and exported, it is so implicitly American that it cannot penetrate. Furthermore, according to him, the fact that the film is divided into two parts does not help the connection.
Maybe it’s the story; ultimately, the heart of the film. There are those who underline that it is a film about the triumph of individualism over friendship, even if it is harsh, of characters who try to achieve different goals and do so above everything and everyone; so, a true story American style. In the end, they too are two women (black and white, or blonde and green), facing a white man, charlatan, dictator. Something the country can easily identify with. And also, forever, it is the basis of The Wizard of OzAmerican history wherever there is one and of immense cultural impact. “Without a doubt, the inclusion of a repressive, fascist government led by Oz in the plot could have an impact on the film’s intended audience: young women,” says the professor. “Audiences seek escapism in blockbuster films. Let the reality that saturates our media – where we are daily inundated with news about a charlatan destroying the fabric of society by ignoring the law, scapegoating and harassing the vulnerable – seep in Evil may be excessive.”
“Evil connects with American audiences because the universe of characters in The Wizard of Oz “It has been around since 1900 and has had multiple musical adaptations,” reflects Jordan, the Penn State professor. “Evilthe musical, took the villain from the 1939 film and offered a new perspective on his development. Since 2003 the public has transformed it into a New York cultural institution. So when the film was released with a new cast and more Technicolor special effects were added, it was a success. It is a story of female friendship against a group deceived by a charlatan and powerful leader who uses tricks and deceit to appear powerful rather than based on merit. This idea resonates in our current cultural context, where our media system makes it difficult to discern reality and our politics are dominated by a trickster. “Its box office success was also fueled by the force of a huge international publicity campaign,” acknowledges Jordan.
The reason is not lacking. The impact of Evil It makes itself felt at the box office, yes, but also on the street. The strategies of marketing They went full throttle, with spectacular premieres all over the world. Additionally, the NBC network (part of Universal, responsible Evil) broadcast a special in November, taped live in September at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, with an Oscar-worthy production held at that same venue. It reached nearly four million viewers, becoming the second most-watched special of the year on American television, behind only the SuperBowl.
The phenomenon has also meant the maximum exploitation in terms of image and social networks of its protagonists, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, brought together at levels that, for some, border on the disturbing. In Singapore, Grande was attacked by an alleged fan and Erivo rushed to defend her even in front of her bodyguards, in an image that went viral. The popularity of both of them also managed to skyrocket with this project, with Grande being a part of it American horror story and the next chapter in the comic saga His parents. Erivo, meanwhile, a Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner, has half a dozen projects and took the stage in Los Angeles for Jesus Christ Superstar (like Jesus) and in London to play, alone, twenty roles Dracula. Evil gave their careers a boost, and even though they’re about to make history, they still have one last push left: awards season. Nominations and perhaps even awards are expected. Even if neither they themselves nor much of the world fully understand it.
