How Long IsWicked? What to Know Before Bringing Kids to the New Musical Movie

Mar. 15, 2025

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande inWicked(2024).Photo:Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

Warning: Some spoilers forWickedahead.

Grab your popcorn:Wickedwill have audiences in their seats for nearly three hours.

Part 1 of the soon-to-be-released musical fantasy film has a runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes, making it 10 minutes longer than the entirety ofthe Broadway productionit is adapted from.

Given the lengthy runtime,parents bringing younger childrenmay want to consider scheduling bathroom breaks throughout.

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An AMC movie theater in New York City on Sept. 4, 2020.Noam Galai/Getty Images

They also may want to snag aisle seats, to get to the bathroom more quickly without potentially disturbing other audience members too much.

Rated PG for “some scary action,”Wickedsaves most of its more distressing moments for its final scenes. Many involve the future Wicked Witch of the West’s flying monkeys, shown at one point baring their teeth and breaking through windows. A scene explaining how the apes sprouted wings might be disturbing to young audience members averse to seeing animals in pain.

Also toward the film’s climax, the Wizard’s mechanical mask may be considered frightening — before, as inThe Wizard of Oz, a harmless man (Jeff Goldblum) emerges from behind its curtain.

Although suffused with comedy throughout, it’s important for parents to consider thatWickedbrings the “thematic material” of its MPA rating with depictions of bullying and discrimination.

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Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo inWicked(2024).Universal Pictures

While speaking with PEOPLE in July for an exclusive interview about his memoirViewfinder, director Chu, known for his work onCrazy Rich AsiansandIn the Heights, teased that the new movie will take its source material to new levels.

Said Chu, 45, in part, “Weget to be more intimate. We get the camera two inches from their face, so we can see when they’re lying, when they’re not or when they’re lying to themselves. And that brings a lot of power to the show that you can’t have on a stage when you have to look forward to the back of the crowd.”

Wickedpart 1 flies into theaters Friday, Nov. 22, with the second part slated for release Nov. 21, 2025.

Go behind the scenes ofWickedwith PEOPLE’s new special issue, availablehere.

source: people.com