The producer of Barbie, Hot Wheels, and WWE toys for children has apologized for an apparent “misprint” on the packaging for Mattel Wicked movie dolls that directed children to a lewd entertainment website.
Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is…
A Screenshot of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in the Wicked Movie Trailer, YouTube – Universal Pictures
READ: ‘Wicked’ Merchandise Mistake Sends Children to Graphic, Unintended Website
The dolls shipped out to stores nationwide this week, appearing on shelves in big retailers like Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and more. However, the packaging on the singing Elphaba and Glinda dolls (which feature the likenesses of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande) showcased a website for “Wicked” that is not the film’s official website.
Rather, it’s a site known for graphic lewd parodies of classic movies.
The toy line for the new Wicked movie directs to p*rn… 😮‼️ pic.twitter.com/6Hm2KQpARf
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) November 10, 2024
“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,” the company said in a statement. “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.”
A Screenshot of a Glinda doll with box misprint sold on ebay
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The Mattel Wicked movie dolls disappeared from retailer shelves with website listings vanishing overnight after an apparent recall. Since then, the dolls in misprinted packaging have popped up on auction sites like ebay. These fashion dolls initially retailed for $24.99 in stores. They’re now going for up to $250 online through these third-party platforms.
The misprint could leave Mattel and possibly Universal Pictures vulnerable to lawsuits. Listing another company’s trademarked website on packaging could constitute trademark infringement. There has been no word yet on whether the mistaken site will be pursuing any legal action.
Wicked is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. It tells an origin story of the Wicked Witch of The West from The Wizard of Oz. In the story, the witch, named Elphaba, is a force for good all along, with the Wizard being the primary antagonist. The original musical focuses on the antagonistic friendship between Elphaba and Glinda the good witch of the North from The Wizard of Oz.
A screenshot from the trailer to Wicked, YouTube – Universal Pictures
The film, which releases Thanksgiving week on November 22, hasn’t been without its share of controversy.
Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the film, stirred up a hornet’s nest recently on the internet when she attacked fans over an edit of the movie’s poster that brought it more in line with the original Broadway show’s iconic artwork. In the edited image, shadows obscure Erivo’s eyes and her lipstick color changed.
Cynthia Erivo has reacted to viral edits of the ‘WICKED’ poster:
“This is the wildest, most offensive thing I have seen, equal to that awful AI of us fighting… Our poster is an homage not an imitation, to edit my face & hide my eyes is to erase me. That is just deeply hurtful” pic.twitter.com/y3P1Qh379S
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 16, 2024
The actress posted a wild tirade on social media in response. She called the edit the “wildest, most offensive thing” she’d ever seen. She also claimed that the edit degraded and erased her. Erivo even said that she considered it worse than fans who made offensive AI images and asked her inappropriate questions about her character.
Erivo attempted to walk back these comments recently, stating that she should have called her friends before posting her response. But nowhere in this statement did she express any regret for her actions. Nor did she indicate that she might have been wrong in any way.
Do you think this apology for the Mattel Wicked movie dolls is enough? Is it better than Cynthia Erivo’s apology? Do you believe them that it was simply a misprint? Will you be taking your children to see the Wicked movie? Sound off and let us know!
