As praises surrounding the fantasy film Wicked starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Michelle Yeoh, a hiccup in the product rollout has caught many by surprise. Known for its captivating musical story and family-friendly appeal, the Wicked brand expectedly leveraged merchandise to attract fans. However, a misstep in the packaging of the Wicked Singing dolls has turned heads for all the wrong reasons.

Imagine the shock of parents and collectors alike when they discovered that the packaging for the dolls featured a URL leading to an unlisted adult website instead of the film’s official page. Instead of the expected magical experience of Wicked, curious consumers were redirected to a site meant for those over 18—a twist that no one could have anticipated.

For those in Malaysia who might have been tempted to investigate further, the URL (wicked.com) is of course blocked by local internet service providers. The true Wicked film website can be found at www.wickedmovie.com, while the dolls are produced by Mattel, with production taking place in China. In a statement, Mattel acknowledged the blunder:

“We were made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S. We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this.”

However, with the dolls already hitting the shelves globally, Mattel faces a practical dilemma; a recall may be financially prohibitive. While they haven’t confirmed plans to remove any unsold dolls from retailers, reports indicate that many of these collectibles have already vanished from sites like Amazon, Target, and Mattel’s own platform.

For those who managed to snag the doll before it went out of stock, Mattel advises discarding the packaging or covering up the errant link. They’re also encouraging consumers to reach out to customer service for guidance.

The Wicked movie premiered on 28 November, with a second part scheduled for November 2025.