Can Dorothy Appear in Wicked's Movie?

The Wicked Movie Adaptation

With the first part of the Wicked movie adaptation releasing in 2024, speculation is rising over whether Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz will be featured in the film. Wicked is an ongoing Broadway musical that serves as somewhat of a prequel to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, itself an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel. The stage musical's narrative begins prior to the events of The Wizard of Oz, telling the origin story of Elphaba, a.k.a. The Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda, a.k.a. Glinda the Good.

Dorothy (Judy Garland) smiling in a corn field in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

The Wicked movie adaptation is currently in the works, with chapter one of the stage musical's big screen venture slated for release on November 27, 2024. Starring in the lead roles are Ariana Grande as Galinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The rest of the Wicked movie cast is stacked with stars like Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, and more. Nearly all the principal characters have been confirmed, sparking curiosity about the possible appearance of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz in the Wicked movie.

The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), Dorothy (Judy Garland) and Glinda (Billie Burke) in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Dorothy's Wicked Casting Has Not Been Announced

Unfortunately, there has not been any indication that the character of Dorothy will appear in the Wicked movie. At the time of writing, no announcement has been made regarding Dorothy's casting, and her signature gingham dress hasn't been spotted in any of the set photos. Based on the available information, it doesn't look like Dorothy will be visiting Oz in the big screen version of Wicked.

There is still a chance that Dorothy could appear in the Wicked movie, however. Wicked may simply be waiting until closer to its release date before announcing Dorothy's role and casting. This would make sense, as Dorothy would likely not appear until Wicked: Part Two, which doesn't come out until November 26, 2025. It is also possible that Dorothy's appearance in the Wicked movie will be a surprise cameo, which is why no casting for her character has been disclosed.

Dorothy Does Appear In The Wicked Musical (Sort Of)

There is a precedent for Dorothy to feature in the Wicked movie, since she does play a role in the stage musical. In Act II of Wicked, the story begins to overlap with the timeline of The Wizard of Oz, starting with the twister that brings Dorothy to the Land of Oz in the first place. Dorothy ends up playing a key role in the Wicked musical after her house falls on Elphaba's sister, Nessarose, and promptly kills her, stirring up trouble in the narrative.

Dorothy Gale has been portrayed by numerous actors across a variety of mediums, but most famously Judy Garland in 1939's The Wizard of Oz movie. Any actress playing Dorothy in Wicked would have big ruby slippers to fill. Despite her significance to the story, Dorothy is never properly shown onstage in the Wicked musical. The characters do interact with her, but they always speak in an offstage direction when doing so. The only time Dorothy physically appears is during the pivotal scene in which Elphaba is 'melting,' but even then, Dorothy's face is hidden. Because they are backlit onto a scrim in the stage production, Elphaba and Dorothy appear only as shadows in the scene. Dorothy may be nothing but a silhouette in the Wicked musical, but her character is still a part of the story, meaning she could be incorporated into the Wicked movie somehow.