“Well-funded political marketeers are turning key cultural moments into wedge issues”

The latest focus of the “war on woke” is none other than the Wicked Witch of the West. If you love the musical Wicked, you’re likely familiar with her as Elphaba, a character brought to life by Gregory Maguire in his 1995 prequel to L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.Portrayed by Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film, she stood as the adversary to Judy Garland’s Dorothy; now, in a performance by musical theatre sensation Cynthia Erivo, she has conservative men throughout Britain and America on the verge of a meltdown.

Since Maguire released his novel – an extravagant piece of fan-fiction that proposes this “witch” may have been misunderstood – it has been reimagined as a stage musical and now transformed into a two-part movie.The audience for Wicked primarily includes teenage girls who resonate with the narrative of Elphaba and her college friend-turned-rival, Glinda the Good Witch. Since its Broadway debut 21 years ago, Stephen Schwartz’s adaptation has become a cult favorite among young musical enthusiasts, while largely flying under the radar for everyone else. The screen adaptation has thrust the land of Oz into the forefront of mainstream dialogue, transforming it into a focal point in America’s ongoing culture war.

As a musical, Wicked is so innocuous that it borders on being insipid. Winnie Holzman’s storyline for the show presents a more subdued narrative compared to Maguire’s surreal and intense book, which featured elements like bestiality and orgies. The story showcases Elphaba, a gifted girl who arrives at a mystical college, only to face bullying from Glinda and her group of cheerful followers, all because she was born with green skin. This is a blend of high school drama and magical adventures. This production features two unforgettable songs: “Popular,” where Glinda shares the keys to social success, and “Defying Gravity,” in which Elphaba commits to striving for excellence and challenging prejudice.Wicked is enjoyable and entertaining, yet ultimately leaves little lasting impression.

It’s disheartening to see Jon M Chu’s film turn into a contentious issue for adults. Since its opening last weekend, Wicked has faced a growing wave of intense media scrutiny. This reflects a well-known trend: generating outrage to drive engagement.

It’s not unexpected that Erivo, a black woman who identifies as queer, has faced a distinct level of vitriol.

However, when you examine the well-structured and impactful social media accounts launching attacks on Erivo, it becomes evident that Hollywood is confronting a novel kind of challenge.Wicked has emerged in an environment where well-resourced political strategists excel at transforming significant cultural events into divisive topics. These practices delve into shadows deeper than those summoned by the Wicked Witch of the West. Film studios face a crucial decision: should they embrace the politics of polarization, intensifying their approach to cater to various segments of the US electorate, or should they advocate for blockbusters that have the potential to unite both progressives and conservatives?

The criticisms directed at Wicked vary from the believable to the outright absurd. British media outlets expressed their discontent with a note from the British Board of Film Classification that elaborated on its PG rating by stating that the film included “discrimination”. “Witnessing cherished characters facing mistreatment, particularly when Elphaba’s skin color is weaponized to portray her as the ‘Wicked Witch’, can be distressing and impactful for certain viewers,” the guidance states.

Piers Morgan was one of the individuals who criticized this as the influence of the “woke brigade”. Has he experienced Wicked? Absolutely, the guidance from BBFC for parents can come across as overly serious and restrictive. However, the BBFC has been providing such warnings since 1912, after a Daily Mail campaign against an early portrayal of Jesus, which hardly positions it at the forefront of contemporary social awareness. Morgan argues that it is “nonsense” to suggest that a film centered on bullying due to skin color can be interpreted as an allegory for racism. It’s somewhat akin to disputing the idea that The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe could serve as an allegory for Christianity.

More severe criticisms of the film have surfaced from a group of influential, anonymous accounts on X (formerly Twitter) that have thrived in the Elon Musk era. An account called “End Wokeness” emerged a few months post-Musk’s acquisition of the platform and has quickly amassed 3.3 million followers. Its banner features a striking image of a bloodied Donald Trump, fist raised, following an assassination attempt. In another corner of X, a new account called “Defiant L’s” has entered the scene. This is associated with a site called “Resist the Mainstream,” which has been identified by the Bloomberg news agency as part of a disinformation network based in Macedonia, promoting conspiracy theories regarding Covid-19 and Trump’s 2020 election defeat. Defiant L’s has received praise from Elon Musk, who called it “one of the best accounts on X.”

The assaults on Wicked highlighted by these accounts have garnered extensive attention. Critics attribute Erivo’s casting to a trend of “wokeness” and express dissatisfaction over the choice of average-height actors for the munchkins, rather than using dwarves as seen in the original Oz film. A viral video clip from the End Wokeness account features Erivo and her co-star, singer Ariana Grande, sharing an emotional moment as they hold hands while responding to a reporter’s question about the LGBT community “holding space” for the song Defying Gravity following Trump’s election victory. The term “holding space” describes a popular practice among fans who share song lyrics online and contemplate their significance. What appears to have been overlooked by other commentators is the influence of these social media accounts in elevating the clip, among many from a busy press tour, to mainstream visibility. These are well-known tactics in the realm of Trump.

In 2022, reports indicated that the Daily Wire, under the leadership of Ben Shapiro, allocated between $35,000 and $47,000 to promote misleading video clips and news articles targeting Amber Heard amid her defamation case against her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. The explicit aim was to alert young men that the 21st century has turned into a challenging landscape due to the extremes of feminism: Trump represents the political answer to this issue. End Wokeness and Defying L’s are integral components of Shapiro’s interconnected framework.Ryan McBeth, an open-source analyst, has claimed that the previous account is operated by alt-right activist Jack Posobiec, who is classified as an extremist by the Southern Poverty Law Centre and is said to have connections to neo-Nazi groups. Recent attacks on the black actress Halle Bailey, following her casting in Disney’s remake of the Little Mermaid, and on Colombian-Polish actress Rachel Zegler, after her casting in Snow White, were amplified by related accounts.

British commentators joining the anti-woke movement probably remain unaware that they are inadvertently aiding far-right disinformation efforts. The cast of Wicked has not done themselves any favors by excessively praising the production during a highly publicized press tour. Our cultural landscape must recognize that our reactions to significant cinematic occurrences are increasingly influenced by a media landscape rooted in white supremacy, originating from Texas – or, in this instance, Macedonia.

Hollywood studios should take the initiative to address this misinformation whenever it arises. Another possibility is to focus solely on one side of the political spectrum. That would be detrimental for business and unfavorable for everyone else.