In this episode, we dive into the extraordinary visual effects of Universal Pictures Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu. As a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, the film not only tells the origin story of Elphaba and Glindatwo witches whose lives take drastically different pathsbut also transports audiences to a vividly reimagined Oz.Join us as we discuss the VFX that brings Ozs animals, spellbinding magic, and the stunning world of Shiz University to life. We break down the challenges of creating the films effects for pivotal scenes, such as the gravity-defying flight sequences and the Wizards grand, mechanical illusions. Plus, we discuss how the visual effects team balanced fantastical elements with the emotional core of the story, ensuring the magic of Oz feels both epic and personal.In this VFXShow, we discuss and review the film, but later this week, we will also post our interview with Wickeds VFX supervisor, Pablo Helman.Dont forget to subscribe to both the VFXShow and the fxpodcast to get both of our most popular podcasts.This week in OZ:Matt Lion Wallin * @mattwallin www.mattwallin.com.Follow Matt on Mastodon: @[emailprotected]Jason Scarecrow Diamond @jasondiamond www.thediamondbros.comMike Tin Man Seymour @mikeseymour. www.fxguide.com. + @mikeseymourSpecial thanks to Matt Wallin for the editing & production of the show with help from Jim Shen.