Jon M. Chu’s film of the hit Broadway musical is an absolute thrill: wonderfully cast, beautifully sung, dazzlingly designed and costumed, writes Moira Macdonald.

Wicked is the latest high-profile musical to hit American cineplexes with emerging Oscar buzz. It certainly isn't Chu's first time spearheading musicals or films with musical elements, having directed two films in the Step Up franchise,

The movie version of Broadway’s beloved musical, Wicked has been a long time coming since the play’s opening in 2003, but it is finally here, and quite frankly not only soars cinematically, it exceeds all expectations.

The prequel to 'The Wizard of Oz' also stars Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in 'Wicked.' In Oz, she was the Wicked Witch of the West,

I always knew I’d love the Wicked movie, but I didn’t expect to love it this much. As a casual fan of the original musical as well as Jon M. Chu’s work – like Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights – I knew the project was in good hands.