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Wicked, the acclaimed Broadway musical, first premiered on October 30, 2003. Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the production quickly gained popularity, captivating audiences with its unique take on The Wizard of Oz story. It took nearly two decades for Wicked to transition from stage to screen, with the film adaptation finally set to be released on November 22, 2024.
Ahead of the film’s release, a wide range of must-have Wicked merchandise has landed in stores nationwide, including stunning Glinda and Elphaba dolls created by Mattel. However, these dolls have sparked an unexpected controversy.
Credit: Universal Pictures
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Recently, Mattel faced controversy due to a misprint on the packaging for its Wicked Glinda and Elphaba doll collection. The packaging inadvertently directed consumers to Wicked.com, a pornographic website, instead of the intended WickedMovie.com. This misprint was prominently displayed on the back of the doll boxes gifted to those attending the movie’s premiere.
In an official statement, Mattel expressed its regret about the incident. The company acknowledged the error and stated:
“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page. We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information.”
Credit: Sarah Genoa (@just2goodYT)
Related: Cynthia Erivo Speaks Out Against Racist Edits on New Wicked Poster
The error has had immediate ramifications in the retail space. Major retailers, including Target, Walmart, and Amazon, have begun pulling the affected Wicked dolls from their shelves. As of now, these products are no longer available for sale at several leading retail partners. Various retailers are taking steps to rectify the situation and minimize the potential fallout from consumer backlash.
Additionally, the dolls with the incorrect website link have been removed from both physical and online marketplaces to prevent further distribution.
The misprinted Wicked dolls have sparked a surge in interest on resale platforms. Following the controversy, collectors have observed rising prices for these dolls, with listings on sites like eBay fetching anywhere from $100 to more than $400, significantly higher than their retail price of $24.99 to $39.99.
Credit: Sarah Genoa (@just2goodYT), X
Wicked is set to premiere on November 22 and is expected to be a major hit for Universal. Originally slated for a November 27 release, Universal decided to move the film up to avoid competing with Moana 2, Disney’s highly anticipated sequel that is poised to be one of the biggest films of the year.
Will you be seeing Wicked when it opens on November 22? Do you think the major misprint error has led to any consequences for those involved? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
