Wicked Part I parents guide: Let your kids defy gravity with this Oz prequel
One of the most highly anticipated movies of 2024 is finally here. Wicked Part I brings us the story of Elphaba and Glinda, but will your kids get to sing along with this one in theaters?
You know the story of the Good Witch of the South and the Wicked Witch of the West, right? So do your kids? You need extra hands to count the amount of times you’ve watched The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland.
Before Dorothy went to Oz, Glinda and Elphaba went to school together. Wicked tells us that tale, bringing us a story of a misunderstood witch, who is an outcast because of the color of her skin. She forges an unlikely friendship with a young witch who just wants to be popular, but can their friendship stand the test of magic, wizards, and hate?
Wicked Part I age rating: Explaining the PG rating
Wicked is officially rated PG, which means that it should be suitable for kids. The PG rating tends to mean that those who are around seven and older will be alright to watch, but it may have some scary elements for toddlers and younger children.
There are also some elements of the movie that are aimed at the adults watching. One thing that shows for the whole family have to do is make sure that there is humor for everyone, and that’s not always that easy.
Sex & nudity: There are some innuendos throughout the movie, including a moment where one man grabs another man’s head and swirls it in front of his crotch area. Think of it like a frat boy joke, which the majority of kids are not going to understand. At least, not the younger ones. The teenagers, on the other hand, will completely understand what’s going on.
Other than that, there isn’t any nudity and there is no sex.
Language: There isn’t any profanity throughout the movie. This is very much like the Broadway production in that aspect.
Violence & gore: There is some action toward the end of the movie, but the majority of it relies on jump scares. The level of violence is something like you would see in the Broadway production, where it’s more about the unknown and the intensity of the moment.
There is a moment that will affect the animal lovers out there, and this could be distressing for kids. There’s an animal inside a cage. When the outside of the cage is hit with a stick, the animal whimpers in fear. The animal is not hurt, though! I think we’d all riot if that happened!
Alcohol & drugs: Right at the start of the movie, a green elixir is shown and some of the characters drink it. This could be considered a drug for the fantasy element of the movie. It’s likely to be viewed as a potion by younger kids considering the magic and mayhem.
Overall verdict: Who is Wicked Part I appropriate for?
The PG rating is a good one for Wicked Part I. This is a movie with a few jump scares and some action scenes, but it’s nothing on the level that is distressing for some kids. I was more than comfortable taking my eight-year-old to see this.
There are a lot of great lessons to learn throughout the Wicked story, especially when it comes to judging people based on the color of their skin. There are also some great lessons in friendship, trust, and loyalty.
Wicked Part I is now out in theaters.