Mattel, a toy manufacturer, apologized and said it "deeply regrets" a misprint of a link to an adult website on the packaging of Wicked-inspired dolls.
Ahead of Wicked's anticipated worldwide premiere on November 22, starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the toy company released singing dolls inspired by Wicked. However, after fans posted images on social media showing the packaging having a pornography website link on it instead of the movie's web address, the toy company took to apologize in a statement.
In a statement to The Independent, the company said,
"Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the US, 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."
The company also shared some nuggets of wisdom with parents who bought the toys for their kids,
"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."
The toys were made available in Target, Amazon, and Walmart on September 26 with Glindas, Elphabas, Nessaroses, Madame Morribles, and Fiyeros dolls, encouraging movie fans to purchase their favorite characters for no more than $39.99. Some dolls also have singing capabilities.
By November 10, the entire Wicked collection was removed from sale at Target and is in the process of being removed from Walmart, Macy's, Kohl's, Best Buy, DSW, Amazon.com, and other retailers.
Mattel's Wicked merchandise sold on eBay
After Mattel pulled the dolls out of major stores due to the adult link mishap on the packaging, the same dolls were seen in faulted boxes up for sale on eBay for between $175 and nearly $500.
In a July post on Instagram before the misprint made headlines, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo showed character dolls Elphaba and Glinda.
Erivo, in a caption, said,
"What a dream come true to be realized as Elphaba and Glinda in the form of Sweet Little Dolls. Little Cynthia and little Ari are pleased."
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The movie tells the story of Elphaba, who is misunderstood because of her green skin and forges an unlikely and complex friendship with Glinda. Their friendship is tested by their contrasting personalities and conflicting viewpoints.
A part 2 of the movie is scheduled to be released theatrically on November 21, 2025 by Universal Pictures.
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