American toy manufacturer Mattel has issued an apology after it was discovered that an adult film website had been listed on the packaging for its Wicked-themed dolls.
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The new Ariana Grande– and Cynthia Erivo- starring theatrical adaptation of the hit Broadway musical is set for worldwide release on November 22, and it has inspired a lot of themed promotional merchandise à la Barbie.
Over the weekend, fans who had purchased the Mattel Wicked dolls were shocked to discover that the back of the packaging links to a porn site – not the film’s official domain, which can be found here.
Now, Mattel has issued a statement and apology – per The Hollywood Reporter – on the mistake and announced plans for rectification. Mattel said in its statement on Sunday (November 10): “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.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the entire Mattel collection has been pulled off shelfs at Target, and as of Sunday afternoon was in the process of being withdrawn from other retailers such as Walmart, Macy’s, Best Buy, Amazon and more.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked’. CREDIT: Universal Studios.
While most fans on social media found the mistake funny – with some joking that the “entire production is cursed” and “someone’s ass is about to be kicked into the sun” – others were much more concerned: “Can you imagine you’re a parent that gives your kids access to your phone to visit the website on the back of the box. This has to be a Universal error?!” See more reactions here.
Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as the Wizard of Oz witches Glinda and Elphaba, Wicked is bring split into two instalments, with the first arriving in cinemas on November 22 and the second scheduled for release on November 21, 2025.
Elsewhere, Grande recently spoke out in support of Erivo regarding the latter’s criticism of fan-edited Wicked posters and AI content.
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