Ariana Grande is making a promise as Glinda to tell the whole story of the Wicked Witch of the West in the new Wicked trailer.

While this trailer gave more insight into what to expect from the long-awaited film adaptation of one of Broadway’s most beloved films, there were plenty of references to the original The Wizard of Oz, the Broadway show, and the entire lore of L. Frank Baum’s books hiding in plain sight both visually and audibly. 

“I’m Melting”

The trailer first opens up with an image we have seen before, a witch’s hat surrounded by a puddle of water referencing back to the death of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz connecting the bridge between the film and the prequel, and placing the audience right into the timeline of where this story takes place.

“Wickified Logo”

The Universal logo took a hint that pink goes well with green as its changed from its well-known blu to a mixture of pink and green for our witches.

“The Clock of the Time Dragon“

The sound of a ticking clock dates back to the Olympics teaser in July always hinting at the inclusion of a fan favorite from the musical, The Clock of the Time Dragon. The Clock of the Time Dragon has the power to be a traveling show with mechanized puppets acting out scenes. For this story, The Time of the Clock Dragon puts on a show about the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West, told through the narration of Ariana Grande as Glinda. Signaling the flashback into Glinda’s memories of her old friend.  This also explains the difference of lensing capturing our two leads, and putting the perspective from Glinda’s point of view as the story unravels.

“Circle Motif”

Circles can be found hidden all over the Wicked set almost as a foundational rule of the design. The Time of the Clock Dragon works set in a circle from the Broadway play’s set design following a similar fashion in the framing of the film.

“The Magic Slippers”

One of the film’s most iconic props is the ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz, so popular that they have been stolen and featured in a Smithsonian. The red color is not accurate to the shoe’s description in the original books, taking on a ruby shade to take advantage of the invention of technicolor. L. Frank Baum’s version doesn’t give a specific color but describes them as metallic also seen in the stage musical. The original owner of Dorthy’s shoes is Elphaba’s sister Nessarose with the film delivering them in a ruby red box paying homage to the 199’s interpretation while staying true to the books and musical.

“Margaret Hamilton’s Iconography”

In a classroom at Shiz, Madame Morrible and Elphaba are practicing sorcery one-on-one with Elphaba’s hand reached out when the camera pans to its shadow above a sorcery textbook mirroring the iconic hand pose of Margret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch. Erivo said that photo inspired a lot of how she wanted to interpret her version of Elphaba, specifically her practice of sorcery and origins. 

“Miss Gulch and Toto”

As Elphaba and Prince Fiyero are riding away with the lion club (a look at a younger Cowardly Lion), the two ride away on bicycles. Elphaba’s bike has a basket in the back the rescued cub peaks out of, a call back to Miss Gulch’s bike in the 1939 film that had a little Toto peeking out similarly. 

“I’m Not That Girl”

A very heated scene between Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey in the woods with the now rescued lion shows them getting closer matching the exact lyrics of “I’m Not That Girl” with hands touching, and eyes meeting.

“The OG Wicked Witch”

At the end of the trailer, as Cynthia Erivo’s version of Defying Gravity is belted by her and Grande just as she puts on her iconic hat, there is a slowed-down version of Miss Gulch’s theme from the 1939 film interlaced into their vocals. A Wicked Witch has been born passing on the mantle from Hamilton to Erivo.

“Look to the Western Sky”

As the trailer ends with Elphaba in the sky, multiple characters such as Boq, Fiyero, Madame Morrible, and the Wizard appear looking to the western sky mirroring the lyrics in Defying Gravity. 

Now onto the gems hidden in the international trailer…..

The international trailer highlights more of the political storyline of Wicked, specifically the animal cruelty subplot with Dr. Diamond. Making it more grotesque than the light-hearted tone of sisterhood in the domestic trailers.

“Ozma the Warrior”

On one shot a chalkboard reads “Animals Should be Seen and Not Heard” To the left of that message a drawing of Ozma the Warrior can be seen. Princess Ozma is a character from the Land of Oz appearing in L. Frank Baum’s second Oz book. She is the rightful ruler of Oz and reigns in the fairyland forever being immortal. 

“Young Elphie”

The international trailer flashbacks to a young Elphaba mocked by her classmates for looking different. Her introduction matches when she arrives at Shiz, focusing on her black boots, and green hands, and then finally showing her infamous smirked face.

“Sleeping Poppies”

In The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch uses the distraction of a poppy field to put Dorothy and Co, to sleep in one of the most aesthetic scenes to ever hit film. Reds and pinks take over the screen as Dorothy drifts to sleep. Wicked even gives these flowers an origin story by showing Elphaba in class as she conjures the sleeping poppies up the air causing all her classmates to fall into a deep sleep.

From all these references, the two hour twenty-two minute most likely is sprinkled with even more honoring what has come before it and its legacy within the Oz universe, but it’s very apparent the level of thought and detail Jon M. Chu and his collaborators have put in just based off these tiny details.

Everything has an origin story, now let’s have Glinda tell it.

Wicked will be released in theaters November 22nd.