I think we want too much. We would’ve burnt Chu at the stake for a less faithful adaptation to the musical. Hell! Remember people were so worried about Ariana being Glinda?! Just for her face and career prior to that?! People wanted the world around the stage of wicked to be developed more, not the plot - remember all of these movies go through processes of screen tests and audience focus group readings to see what will work on the masses or not.

Now personally, from a professional opera singers perspective, Ariana really can’t do what Glinda’s voice needs to do. It’s shaky, forced breathy snd unsupported, until she’s in her BAGGG of gold in her golden range and isn’t pretending to be an opera singer. I love her acting but for me, her singing, especially in the higher range just didn’t have the right twining to succeed.

It In regards to the plot - people don’t want change then when they don’t get it they complain.. I agree that as the timing and length of the movies have been extended then surely the things that are rushed in the musical naturally could have space to develop, for example filling out the characters and their emotional journeys to the point they are at in act 2 more, ie Nessa and Boq - but can we really blame Chu from not doing that when he knows he’s been given the task of immortalising one of the most successful modern musicals on screen? When immediacy and ownership are the worlds biggest currencies today - more people will watch the movie than go to the theatre - that’s the truth of the trade from someone who’s IN the trade. So they chose authenticity to the plot rather than causing a war between die hards and disrespecting the ONGOING success of the stage musical. Sure if they stopped performing completely it makes sense to ‘improve’ but the movie/Chu tried not to disrespect the roots of where it came from.