Wicked For Good’s Dorothy unveiled in photos – but why don’t audiences see her face in the film?

The stars of Wicked: For Good might be Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo but fans have questions about another character: Dorothy.

The film picks up from the events of last year’s smash hit, when Elphaba (Erivo) is branded Oz’s greatest enemy, the Wicked Witch of the West, while she also has to navigate her turbulent relationships with Glinda (Grande) and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey).

And, a new but familiar character comes skipping down the yellow brick road: it’s Dorothy.

In the Wizard of Oz story, the young girl from Kansas is transported to the fantastical land with her dog, Toto.

In Wicked: For Good, her appearance is fleeting and her face is never visible. There’s a brief shot where her profile is seen through a crack in the door. Elsewhere, we see her meet Glinda, following the yellow brick road and arriving in Oz.

Before the film was released, director Jon M Chu told People magazine his rationale of keeping the character’s face hidden.

“I didn’t want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with,” he said.

Many will associate her with Judy Garland, who played her in the 1939 Oscar-winning musical.

‘This was always meant to be a two-movie experience’

“[This] is still Elphaba and Glinda’s journey, and she is a pawn in the middle of all of it,” Chu continued.

Some fans have voiced the idea of a potential spin-off focused on Dorothy. However, Chu has already said he was unsure about making another film. “As far as I know, this was always meant to be a two-movie experience,” he told Access Hollywood.

Wicked: For Good would be “the end of an era”, he added.

Bethany Weaver plays Dorothy in the new film, and although her face is not properly seen in the film, she shared a series of behind-the-scenes images on Instagram.

Weaver can be seen in full costume on the yellow brick road with Oscar, who plays Toto, as well as with co-stars Ethan Slater and Bailey. She thanked the cast and crew and described Chu as “the best filmmaker of all time”, adding: “This has been a life changing experience, it’s changed me in so many ways, most importantly, for good.

“It’s been an honour to carry the legacy of the brilliant women before me who have stepped into these shoes, and embarked on the yellow brick road. I hope I have made them proud.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.