A new report outlines howWickedtoys from Mattel accidentally featured a link to a porn website. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the upcoming adaptation of theWickedmusical chronicles the early lives of two witches who go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch of the North as seen inThe Wizard of Oz(1939).Wickedtrailershave already teased a return to the wondrous Land of Oz, in addition to stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, and merchandise for the movie is rolling out ahead of its theatrical release.
A new report fromVarietynow reveals thatMattel misprinted a URL on the packaging forWickedtoys, accidentally directing users to the website of Wicked Pictures, an adult entertainment company. Instead of directing users towickedmovie.com, the official website for the Universal Pictures film, the merchandise instead listed the URL as “wicked.com”. The incorrect URL made its way onto the packaging for special edition dolls sold at Amazon, Target, and Kohl’s, but it remains unknown how the mistake actually occurred.
The report includes information gathered from Google Trends, revealing thatsearches for “wicked.com” over the last two days were the highest they’ve been since mid-2012. In response to the error, Mattel released the following statement toVariety, acknowledging the situation:
“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.”
What The Wicked Website Mixup Means For The Movie
How Does This Affect The Universal Pictures Film?
Right now, it’s not clear how many toys were affected by the misprint, but the Google Trends data suggests that some minors did search out and potentially view the contents on the porn company’s website. This is obviously a major mistake on Mattel’s part, and it’s made all the worse considering the toys accompany a movie that is intended to serve as fun, family-friendly entertainment.The company is now sure to be in damage control mode, and it’s possible that they’ll be looking to make it right somehow with those who were affected by the mix-up.
Wicked Cast & Character Guide: Who Stars In The Broadway Musical Adaptation?
The characters of the Broadway hit Wicked head to the big screen with a cast that includes a pop star, an Oscar winner, and numerous stage veterans.
The parents of any children who were exposed to the website are sure to be quite upset, but theWizard of Ozprequelmovie is unlikely to be affected in any great capacity.The movie is currently shaping up to be perhaps the biggest theatrical release in the back half of 2024,and it’s already projected to open to $85 million in its opening weekend, one of the strongest starts for a musical ever.
Our Take On Wicked’s Toy Mix-Up
Marketing Campaigns Have A Lot Of Moving Parts
Merchandise is especially important for more family-friendly titles, and Mattel, as the company behind the creation of the Barbie doll, remains one of the biggest names in toys. Linking to the website of a porn company is certainly not a good look for Mattel or forWicked.
The mistake, however, speaks to the great number of moving parts in the launch of a blockbuster movie, and the potential for a miscommunication to have big consequences. ThoughWickedis certainly shaping up to dominate in theaters, some parents might be checking twice before buying their kids any merchandise connected to the film.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
