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Mattel’s ‘Wicked’ dolls include wrong, adult website on packaging

By Megan Ziegler
Published  November 10, 2024 1:58pm CST
Entertainment
FOX TV Digital Team

Watch: Full 'Wicked' trailer

The first full trailer for the musical 'Wicked,' starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum, has been released. Courtesy Universal Pictures.

The Brief

    • An incorrect website was printed on Mattel’s new ‘Wicked’ dolls ahead of the movie’s release later this month.
    • The website directs to an adult-only website instead of the official movie’s website.
    • The misprint was not found on ‘Wicked’ merchandise from other manufacturers.

Packaging for dolls from the new ‘Wicked’ movie came under fire this weekend after the fine print was discovered to include the wrong URL for the movie’s website.

The dolls were created by Mattel in partnership with the new Universal Pictures movie, and were released in packaging that instead included the address for a pornographic website. 

A photo showing retailer shelves continuing Mattel’s ‘Wicked’ toy merchandise, taken at a Texas store on Nov. 10, 2024. Photo: FOX Television Stations.

FOX Television Stations obtained photographs of the toys’ packaging that listed a website other than the film’s current website, wickedmovie.com. 

The URL found in the fine print of the doll box directs to a page that requires people to be 18 years or older to enter. 

A photo showing the fine print on the packaging of a Mattel ‘Wicked’ doll with the Glinda doll in the background, taken at a Texas retailer on Nov. 10, 2024. Photo: FOX Television Stations

The dolls, direct replications of the actors who star in the movie, are special edition items released ahead of the movie's premiere on November 22, according to FOX News Digital. They’re being sold at retailers nationwide like Target, Kohls and Amazon. 

A photo showing the fine print on the packaging of a Mattel ‘Wicked’ doll with the Elphaba doll in the background, taken at a Texas retailer on Nov. 10, 2024. Photo: FOX Television Stations

Mattel confirmed the misprint to FTS Sunday in an email. 

"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 statement read. 

"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."

FOX Television Stations did not see the misprinted website on other ‘Wicked’ merchandise from different manufacturers, such as Noble Collection or Jakks Pacific or Lego.

‘Wicked’ arrives in theaters Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27. Part two is coming in 2025, also over Thanksgiving. 

RELATED: Starbucks unveils 'Wicked'-themed drinks ahead of movie release

‘Wicked’ movie cast

The "Wicked" movie stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West); Ariana Grande as Glinda (the good witch); Michelle Yeoh as the headmistress at their school, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero; Ethan Slater as Boq; Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz. 

The Source: Information in this article was taken from photographs taken by FOX Television Stations of the Mattel ‘Wicked’ doll products at a Texas retailer on Nov. 10, 2024, and in an email confirming the misprint from Mattel. Background information about the dolls was obtained from FOX News Digital. This story was reported from Detroit.