The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has issued a trigger warning for the upcoming blockbuster Wicked, citing concerns over discrimination against a “green-skinned woman” and persecuted “talking animals”.
The new movie musical, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has received the warning despite the green-skinned character being central to its plot.
The classification body’s decision comes as part of its content guidance for the £120million production, which serves as a prequel to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.
The film follows the friendship between Elphaba, a misunderstood young woman with green skin played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda, a popular rich girl portrayed by Ariana Grande.
The story delves into the untold narrative of how Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, while exploring her relationship with Glinda the Good.
Set in the fantasy land of Oz, the film features an array of magical creatures, including munchkins, flying monkeys and talking goats.
The musical adaptation brings a fresh perspective to the beloved tale that has captivated audiences since the original 1939 film.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in Wicked
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The BBFC’s warning explicitly states: “A green-skinned woman is mocked, bullied and humiliated because of her skin colour.”
The classification body also felt compelled to warn viewers about the treatment of magical creatures, noting: “Talking animals are persecuted in a fantastical society.”
The BBFC website further explains that “seeing beloved characters being mistreated, especially when Elphaba’s skin-colour is used to demonise her as the ‘Wicked Witch’, may be upsetting and poignant for some audiences.”
The BBFC, headed by TV presenter Natasha Kaplinsky, has given the film a PG rating, requiring parental guidance.
The £120million production has faced criticism for allegedly turning the magical land of Oz “woke”.
Wicked has been slapped with a trigger warning
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This controversy stems partly from changes to the portrayal of Munchkins, with the 2024 version taking a markedly different approach from the 1939 original.
The new interpretation features Ariana Grande’s boyfriend Ethan Slater as Boq, leading a reimagined version of the Munchkin characters.
Director Jon M Chu explained his new vision for Munchkinland during the film’s promotional tour.
“We wanted [Boq] to come from a culture, and so we were trying to reinvent what a Munchkin is. In our eyes, Munchkin was not a size,” the 45-year-old filmmaker told GQ magazine.
He added: “We built the Munchkinland look around him, in a weird way—like this red-haired, fair-skinned type of character.”
The changes haven’t gone unnoticed on social media, with one viewer writing on X: “Still can’t believe the Wicked movie gentrified Munchkinland.”
Critics have strongly condemned the BBFC’s trigger warning decision.
Writer Simon Evans told the Mail: “Trigger warnings are ridiculous and counterproductive at the best of times, dampening excitement, destroying creative, dramatic tension and creating a muffled atmosphere appropriate to an HR seminar than a movie.”
Wicked hit cinemas this month
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Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, was equally dismissive, stating: “Green skinned people under attack? You cannot make it up. It is evident that the author of this silly classification is living on planet Bonkers.”
According to the BBFC’s newly published annual report, the organisation received its highest number of complaints in four years during 2023.
The classification body logged 148 complaints about its “classification decisions” last year, up from 84 in 2022 and 109 in 2021.
This represents the highest figure since 2019, when 149 complaints were recorded.
The increase was primarily driven by young people protesting age restrictions, with the 15 rating given to horror film Five Nights at Freddy’s generating the most controversy.
