Wicked faces boycott from furious parents as musical accused of pushing 'woke' and 'LGBTQ agenda'
WATCH HERE: Wicked Trailer - Universal Studios release first look at movie musical
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Conservative group One Million Moms has called for a boycott of the new film "Wicked," claiming it promotes an "LGBTQ agenda" to families and children.
Despite their name suggesting massive support, only around 12,000 people have signed the organisation's petition urging parents to avoid the musical adaptation.
The group, created by the American Family Association - which has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center - takes issue with what they describe as the film's "not-so-discrete crossdressing and men crushing on men."
In their petition, One Million Moms expressed concerns about the film's supernatural elements, stating: "Of course, the musical contains a tremendous amount of witchcraft and sorcery.
"And that content prompts most parents to avoid taking their children to see Wicked."
The group claims that instead of being "an uplifting Broadway musical about friendship and family," the film is "a dark movie that also pushes wokeness".
Cynthia Erivo who plays the lead role is part of the LGBTQ+ community
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They particularly object to what they term "a blatant attempt by Universal to normalize same-sex crushes".
The petition suggests parents may be caught unaware by the film's content, which they claim includes elements they "may not expect".
The film features five main cast members who identify as LGBTQ+, contrary to One Million Moms' claim of four.
Cynthia Erivo, who plays the lead role of Elphaba, is among the queer-identifying performers.
The two characters begin as enemies in the film
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Jonathan Bailey, cast as Fiyero, is also part of the LGBTQ+ community, alongside Bowen Yang who portrays Pfannee.
The cast's LGBTQ+ representation extends to Bronwyn James, who plays ShenShen, and Marissa Bode in the role of Nessarose.
According to One Million Moms, this casting represents "a nod to inclusivity," which they view critically in their petition against the film.
Despite the boycott calls, "Wicked" has proven to be a remarkable box office success.
The film has shattered several musical box office records, amassing over £320million in American ticket sales, according to Deadline.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Glinda is played by singer Ariana Grande
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As the conservative group continues its protest, the film has found widespread acceptance among cinema-going families.
"While One Million Moms isn't holding space for it, many real-life families are," industry reports indicate.
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