It’s been hard to miss the excitement surrounding the Wicked movie, which premiered worldwide on November 22. Based on the iconic Broadway musical, the film brings the untold story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and her complicated relationship with Glinda. With Wicked being one of the biggest releases of the year, Universal’s marketing team went all-in—launching exclusive merchandise, creating new themed shopping and dining areas at Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, and filling the airwaves with interviews and promotions.
But as the movie continues to rake in box office numbers, the excitement surrounding Wicked has been marred by an unexpected controversy involving a product from one of the biggest names in toys: Mattel. The toy giant recently released a limited-edition set of dolls based on the film’s main characters, Glinda and Elphaba, but a huge mistake has left a lot of parents furious.
Here’s what happened: A special edition of the dolls included a link on the back of the packaging intended to direct customers to the Wicked movie’s official website, Wickedmovie.com. However, due to an unfortunate error, the link instead led to Wicked.com, a well-known adult website featuring explicit content.
Needless to say, parents who purchased the dolls were horrified to discover that their children were being directed to a pornographic site.
Related: Disabled ‘Wicked’ Actress Targeted by “Gross” Online Trolls
Mattel acted swiftly upon learning about the mix-up, pulling the dolls from store shelves and announcing plans to correct the issue. The dolls were repackaged with the proper link to the official Wicked movie site. But the damage had already been done for one South Carolina mother, who is now suing Mattel for negligence and emotional distress.
The lawsuit, which was filed in California on Tuesday, claims that the mother’s young daughter was exposed to “hardcore, full-on nude pornographic images” after clicking on the faulty link. The suit alleges that Mattel did not offer a refund or adequate compensation after the error was discovered, and the mother is now seeking restitution for the emotional distress caused by the incident.
“These scenes were hardcore, full-on nude pornographic images depicting actual intercourse,” the class-action lawsuit states. “The products are adulterated, worthless and unfit for its intended and advertised age-appropriate audience.”
This lawsuit has become a focal point of controversy, with many questioning whether Mattel’s apology and recall were enough. While the company publicly called the mix-up an “unfortunate error” and acted quickly to remove the faulty dolls from circulation, some parents are demanding more. The recall, announced on November 11, did not include a public offer for refunds, which could be a crucial point in the legal battle.
The mother filing the lawsuit is not only seeking damages for emotional distress, but also pushing for the case to become a class action, which would involve other affected consumers.
At the heart of this lawsuit is the concern that Mattel, a company that has long marketed toys as safe for children, allowed a serious breach of safety and appropriateness to occur. The lawsuit claims that the dolls, which were marketed to young children, were “adulterated” and “unfit” for the audience they were intended for.
For now, the South Carolina mother’s suit is still working its way through the courts, and a judge has yet to approve the motion to make it a class action. But regardless of how the legal case plays out, Mattel’s mistake has certainly shaken the company’s reputation, and parents are still left grappling with the fallout.
Meanwhile, the Wicked movie continues to perform well at the box office, grossing nearly $400 million since its release. But for many families, the excitement surrounding the film’s premiere has been clouded by this unexpected controversy, and Mattel may now face a lengthy legal battle.
Should the lawsuit go forward as a class action, or should Mattel simply offer refunds to settle the issue once and for all? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
