Fine, Let's Talk About Wicked At Epic Universe

You wouldn't stop asking. Here's our full, unfiltered analysis of the theme park world's most persistent rumor and why an Oz-themed land isn't as close as you think.

Let's be clear: we've been actively avoiding this topic. For months, the rumors of a Wicked-themed land coming to a Universal park, Epic Universe specifically, have been running so rampant, it’s become background noise. It reached a new level of absurdity last month after a Universal executive gave a perfectly vague, non-committal answer in an interview about "always looking for ways to bring beloved stories to life." Within an hour, spoof news accounts were hilariously declaring the project "confirmed," and the fan base latched onto the out-of-context quote as gospel. The whole cycle has become exhausting. The tipping point, however, came yesterday with a simple text from Carmela (from Magical Moments With Mom And Mel), who asked something along the lines of, "So, do you really think Universal would be adding Oz?"

Adding fuel to this already raging fire is the latest, and most significant, development yet. Just last month, the Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences, Mark Woodbury, was asked directly about the possibility of a Wicked attraction. His response has been hailed by many as the confirmation they’ve been waiting for: "Wicked is a phenomenon," Woodbury stated. "It’s a great brand, and I will tell you that we are committed to telling that story in our parks. What, when, where, how has not yet been decided." And while that statement of "commitment" is the strongest signal to date, it's also wrapped in the classic corporate hedge of "what, when, where, how." Before we all start buying our tickets to the Emerald City, let's take a breath and look at the massive, real-world hurdles that still stand in the way, because from where we're sitting, this project is far from a done deal.

The first and most significant hurdle is the path to the Emerald City itself, which is paved with daunting legal complexities. The core challenge is the tangled web of rights surrounding the world of Oz. While The Wonderful Wizard of Oz novel is in the public domain, its most famous adaptation, the 1939 MGM film, is the ironclad property of Warner Bros. Discovery. This means that any element specifically created for that film—the ruby slippers, Judy Garland's likeness, that specific shade of Technicolor yellow brick road—is strictly off-limits to Universal.

Yes, Universal has every right to build a Wicked land, based on Gregory Maguire's novel and their own blockbuster films. But this creates a creative minefield. They must build a world that is recognizably "Oz" to the general public, but one that legally avoids any resemblance to the most famous and beloved version of that same world. It is a difficult, and potentially very expensive, needle to thread.

Then there is the question of location. The most logical home for such a massive and ambitious project would be one of the large, still-unannounced expansion plots at Epic Universe. The park was built for new worlds, after all. But is Wicked truly at the top of the priority list for that prime real estate? The rumors for a land based on The Legend of Zelda are just as strong, if not stronger, and that IP has a massive, built-in gaming audience. Other properties, like The Lord of the Rings, are also in the ether, presumably waiting in the bay until Universal UK is proven successful. To assume Wicked, a two film franchise, is the automatic frontrunner is a major leap of faith.

The alternative, replacing an aging area in one of the existing parks, is even more complicated. Bulldozing a land like Toon Lagoon at Islands of Adventure is a multi-year, billion-dollar proposition in itself, and it’s a move Universal is unlikely to make until they have a decade of operational data from Epic Universe.

This challenge of creating a truly successful land based on Oz has a new, and very relevant, case study. One only needs to look to the recently opened "Wizard of Oz Precinct" at Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia—a park operated by the very company that holds the coveted rights to the 1939 MGM film. The new land features two major roller coasters: the "Flight of the Wicked Witch" suspended family coaster and the high-thrill, dueling "Kansas Twister" coasters. On paper, it is the most significant investment in an Oz-themed area in decades.

However, the land has been met with a largely lukewarm reception from theme park enthusiasts, and it serves as a crucial cautionary tale. The primary criticism is a lack of deep, transportive immersion. Many reviews have described the area's theming as superficial, feeling more like a decorated ride plaza than a fully realized world. The coasters themselves, while solid attractions, are largely standard, off-the-shelf models with a thin layer of Oz branding applied. The result is an area that, for many, fails to capture the magic of the film, proving that even with the official rights in hand, executing a land that meets the modern, post-Wizarding World expectations of fans is an incredibly difficult task.

We also have to address the other "evidence" that has been fueling these rumors. The upcoming appearance of Wicked director Jon M. Chu on the "Inside the Worlds of Epic Universe" TV special on August 20th is seen by many as a major clue (we even covered it in an article here). But isn't the more logical explanation simple corporate synergy? Universal, the parent company, is using a major television event promoting its new park to also promote its massive, upcoming holiday blockbuster, Wicked: For Good. It is smart, effective cross-promotion. It is not, however, a signed contract for a new theme park land.

And does Wicked truly have the staying power? The Broadway musical has been a sensation for two decades, and the first film was a smash hit. But the theme park business is about permanence. It’s about building attractions that will still be drawing crowds in 30 years. Universal is betting the farm on Epic Universe with evergreen IPs like Nintendo and Harry Potter. Is a movie musical, even a hugely successful one, in that same league? It's a legitimate question that the company's strategists are undoubtedly asking.

So, to answer the question: no, I don't think Universal is adding a Oz/Wicked land anytime soon, or really ever. Mark Woodbury's comment, while exciting, is a savvy piece of corporate PR. It generates hype and goodwill for a beloved franchise his company owns, all without committing a single dollar or construction timeline. It keeps the dream alive for fans, which is a powerful tool. But a dream is not a backhoe, and a comment is not a contract. There's definitely no chance Universal ever builds a full land/world dedicated to Oz, but there's a fair chance we'll see the IP materialize somewhere else in the parks. The rumors are more rampant than ever, but for now, they are still just that: rumors.