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How to watch Wicked at home: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are coming to streaming
UPDATE: Mar. 14, 2025, 12:00 p.m. EDT This article has been updated with the official streaming details for "Wicked," as well as the latest deals and pricing.
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It's been over a year since the Wicked press (and subsequent memes) began, but only a few months since it finally made its theatrical debut. As a late Christmas present, the highly acclaimed film made its at-home launch on digital and now it's finally set to make its anticipated streaming debut.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star as the green-skinned, magically gifted Elphaba and her pink-loving polar opposite bestie Glinda. The stage show's lyricist, Stephen Schwartz, and playwright Winnie Holzman joined forces on the screenplay, while Jon M. Chu directed (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights). It also stars Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once), and the Jeff Goldblum. There are also some very noteworthy cameos.
The film adaptation of the classic 2003 Broadway musical starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth has already proven popular among audiences — bringing in $727 million worldwide and over $472 million domestically. We can only expect Wicked to soar even further with its small-screen streaming debut.
Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Wicked at home this season.
What is Wicked: Part 1 about?
Wicked is an adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway musical of the same name, which opened in 2003. The play itself is also an adaptation of Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which is basically a prequel to L. Frank Baum's original novel The Wizard of Oz (as well as the iconic film from 1939). It tells the backstory of the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West, as well as the popular and privileged Glinda the Good. The two witches meet as students at Shiz University in the Land of Oz and embark on a journey from loathing to an unexpectedly deep friendship. Part one of the two-part Wicked saga ultimately questions, "Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?"
Check out the full trailer for a more in-depth sneak peek:
Is Wicked worth watching?
Wicked: Part 1 set a new record for the biggest opening for a movie based on a Broadway show ever, grossing $472 million domestically to date. It's not perfect, but it's been largely well received by audiences and critics alike, currently sitting at an 88 percent critic rating and 95 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It's earned four Golden Globes nominations (one win), five SAG award nominations, seven BAFTA nominations (two wins), and 10 Oscar nods.
Mashable's film editor Kristy Puchko called it "wonky, but at times wonderful," noting that some of the cinematic choices by director Jon M. Chu drag it down. "Chu's decision to turn Act 1 into a teen musical is marred by his dingy color palette, the crowded cinematography of Shiz (thankfully, things open up in the Emerald City), and directing his leading lady to play the titular witch as chiefly woeful. A show heralded for its high-energy song numbers, stage spectacle, and smirking sense of humor, Wicked is malformed by these choices. Yet, some sections are sure to have audiences cheering," she writes.
Check out our full review of Wicked: Part 1.
How to watch Wicked at home
Credit: Universal Pictures
Wicked made its at-home debut on major digital platforms (Prime Video, Apple TV+, etc.) on Dec. 31, 2024. The film is available to buy for $19.99 and comes with loads of bonus content to enjoy alongside the film itself — including a singalong version, deleted and extended scenes, feature commentary, and a 40-minute journey through Oz.
It will also be available to rent as of March 4, most likely for $14.99 or less. Keep in mind that with rentals, you'll only get 30 days to watch the film and just 48 hours to finish it once you start it. If you'd rather wait and stream Wicked instead, keep on scrolling for more information.
Here are some quick links to rent or purchase Wicked as of Dec. 31:
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Prime Video — buy for $19.99
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Apple TV+ — buy for $19.99
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Fandango at Home — buy for $19.99
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Microsoft — buy for $19.99
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YouTube — buy for $19.99
When and where will Wicked be streaming?
As a Universal Pictures film, we knew that Wicked would make its streaming debut on Peacock, the streaming service owned by NBCUniversal. The only question was when. Well, we're thrilled to announce that the critically acclaimed musical movie is officially set to make its streaming debut on March 21, 2025.
We previously made an educated guess (based on past Universal Pictures releases Twisters and The Fall Guy) that the film would be available on or around March 31. So, we're actually getting to stream it a little earlier than anticipated. Hooray!
The sing-along version of Wicked will also stream exclusively on Peacock the same day, as well as a full collection of bonus content for mega fans. Don't have a Peacock subscription? You can sign up for $7.99 per month with ads or $13.99 per month without ads. But before you jump the gun, be sure to check out the best ways to save money on a subscription below.
The best Peacock streaming deals
Best long-term Peacock deal
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If you commit to Peacock long-term and pay for a year upfront, it'll save you about 17% over a monthly subscription. An annual subscription goes for $79.99 per year with ads or $139.99 per year without, which is essentially 12 months of streaming for the price of 10. Comparatively, a monthly subscription will run you $7.99 per month ($95.88 per year) or $13.99 per month ($167.88 per year).
Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers
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Select Xfinity customers can score a Peacock subscription for no extra cost. Here's a breakdown of who is eligible:
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Xfinity Internet users on the Gigabit or Gigabit+ plans can get Peacock Premium (with ads) for two years (offer ends June 25, 2025) for free.
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Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.
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NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.
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New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.
Best Peacock deal for students
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College students with a verifiable student email can snag a Peacock Premium subscription for just $2.99 per month for an entire year. Just prove your student status through SheerID and you'll receive a unique promo code to secure the discount. The discount code can only be used once, so don't go sharing it with all of your friends!
Best Peacock deal for first responders
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First responders and medical professionals can also score Peacock Premium for just $3.99 per month, so long as they can verify their first responder status via SheerID. Sign up using the unique promo code you receive and the price will drop down to $3.99 per month. First responders and medical professionals who continue to meet verification qualifications can renew the deal annually. You'll just have to go through the process each time to receive a new promo code and secure the discount year after year. Learn more about eligibility terms and requirements.
Best for active military and veterans
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Active duty U.S. military service members, Reservists, National Guard members, veterans, or U.S. military retirees can sign up for Peacock Premium for $3.99 per month instead of the usual $7.99 per month. As with the previous deals, you'll have to prove your military status using SheerID and retrieve a promotional code to activate the offer. Eligible military personnel who continue to meet requirements are able to redeem the deal annually.
Best for teachers
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Teachers get a bite of Peacock Premium savings as well. Just verify your educator status with SheerID. Once verified, you'll receive a unique promo code that may only be used once for a Premium subscription for just $3.99 per month for one year. Once the promotional period ends, you'll be charged full price, so be sure to cancel before the year is up.
Best for Instacart users
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Peacock and Instacart partnered up last year to offer paid Instacart+ members a free Peacock Premium subscription. That's a $79.99 per year value for zero dollars. An Instacart+ account costs you $99.99 per year and includes free grocery delivery on orders over $35, lower fees, and credit back on eligible pickup orders, among other perks. Plus, the best part is that you get a two-week free trial to test things out. Definitely grab this freebie if you haven't yet. Better yet, wait until Wicked's official streaming date in March and time your trial so you can watch for free.
Best for JetBlue members
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Through July 2025, JetBlue TrueBlue members can earn 1,000 free TrueBlue points when they sign up for Peacock. If you have Mosaic status, you can get your first year of Peacock Premium for free (a $79.99 value). Read more about eligibility and terms over on Peacock's special offer page.
"We don’t always get it right. Earlier this year, an update made the model too agreeable, sometimes saying what sounded nice instead of what was actually helpful. We rolled it back, changed how we use feedback, and are improving how we measure real-world usefulness over the long term, not just whether you liked the answer in the moment," OpenAI wrote in the announcement. "We also know that AI can feel more responsive and personal than prior technologies, especially for vulnerable individuals experiencing mental or emotional distress."
Broadly, OpenAI has been updating its models in response to claims that its generative AI products, specifically ChatGPT, are exacerbating unhealthy social relationships and worsening mental illnesses, especially among teenagers. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that many users were forming delusional relationships with the AI assistant, worsening existing psychiatric disorders, including paranoia and derealization. Lawmakers, in response, have shifted their focus to more intensely regulate chatbot use, as well as their advertisement as emotional partners or replacements for therapy.
OpenAI has recognized this criticism, acknowledging that its previous 4o model "fell short" in addressing concerning behavior from users. The company hopes that these new features and system prompts may step up to do the work its previous versions failed at.
"Our goal isn’t to hold your attention, but to help you use it well," the company writes. "We hold ourselves to one test: if someone we love turned to ChatGPT for support, would we feel reassured? Getting to an unequivocal 'yes' is our work."
Were you tricked by the video of a bunch of bunnies jumping on a trampoline on TikTok? Well, nearly 230 million people were — and plenty of those viewers had no idea that it was actually AI. In response, the creator who brought us the Punxsutawney Phil musical, Oliver Richman (or @olivesongs11), wrote and recorded a 30-second song about the AI video, also for TikTok. He wrote the song on day 576 of an ongoing project, where he writes a new song each day.
"That project has changed my life in so many ways," Richman told Mashable, adding that it brought him "back to the joy of creating." He scrolled across the viral video of the bunnies jumping on the trampoline and said he was "certainly fooled" and "thought they were real."
"So when I learned that they weren't, I was like, 'Oh, I think this is today's song."
The unknowing bunny song on TikTok now has over 3.8 million views, 600,000 likes, and hundreds of comments like, "Bo Burnham! At The Disco" and "Wait until you see the bear on a trampoline. Spoiler: also AI."
The song goes like this:
There were bunnies that were jumping on a trampoline
And I just learned that they weren't real
If a bot can inhabit
An unknowing rabbit
It might manufacture the way you make me feel
How do I know that the sky's really sunny?
Sometimes it feels like your love is as real as
An unknowing bunny
The video has inspired covers and renditions, stop-motion videos, reactions, and a variety of other really cool human-made art. As one creator wrote on a TikTok video using the sound, "The fact that this song written about AI is going viral is incredibly healing. Especially because us as artists and songwriters are being threatened of our livelihoods due to the use of AI. And AI could never create something this unique with this much feeling."
Richman said the response to his video has been "the most surreal thing ever."
"Every piece of art that I've seen, I like get emotional," he said. "It certainly made me feel connected to the beauty of the messiness of being a human. And the imperfections that AI tends to delete or perfect — seeing all of this human art has just been a very emotional and cool experience."
As Mashable's Tim Marcin recently wrote about the influx of faux surveillance footage of animals, it "seems to be a new genre of AI slop." But give the internet slop, and creators might make porridge (is that a saying?).
In the face of all the AI slop we see online, creators like Richman are staying positive. "Art is so cool. Human art is so cool, and that really excites me."
Updated on Aug. 4 at 3:00 p.m. ET — This story has been updated to include an interview with creator Oliver Richman. Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.
Verizon customers reportedly got double bad news this week: the phone carrier is raising fees and removing loyalty discounts.
According to users on the Verizon subreddit, several customers reported receiving an email from Verizon informing them their account discounts are ending. "We are writing to let you know that a discount on your account will soon end," the email said, according a redditor. "This discount will be removed no sooner than September 1, 2025." Several other redditors chimed in on the thread, saying they had a received the same email about losing loyalty perks offered to longstanding customers. Mashable has reached out to Verizon for comment and will update this story with a response.
A few days earlier, Verizon confirmed to Tom's Guide that the company is increasing fees for activations, phone lines, and tablet plans by Sept. 1.
Verizon customers are understandably unhappy about the changes. Some commented that they might change phone carriers to T-Mobile or AT&T as a result. "They just keep finding ways to crap on loyal customers," commented one redditor, underscoring the general sentiment of the thread that loyal customers are being penalized for their loyalty.
According to Tom's Guide, Verizon is reportedly trying to persuade customers on older plans to switch to its newer myPlan subscription. "We want to ensure you get the best value and experience from Verizon and encourage you to check out our myPlan options for the plan that works best for you," the email to customers reportedly said.
Cutting loyalty discounts and upping fees is a bold way to do that, since it seems to be alienating customers even more.
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