A shocking packaging error on the Wicked movie dolls that caused a product recall by Mattel has led to a lawsuit from an angry South Carolina mother.
The blunder over Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Glinda and Elphaba dolls shared a URL to a porn website instead of the film’s official page – with Mattel issuing an emergency recall for the toys last month.
The class action lawsuit obtained by TMZ sees the mother claiming she bought a Wicked doll just before the recall, while her minor daughter uses an iPhone to look up the link on the packaging.
When she did, she was reportedly exposed to “hardcore, full of nude pornographic images depicting actual sexual intercourse.”
The mother says she has ‘proof of this inexcusable mistake’ and claims she and her daughter were ‘shocked’ by the website.
She claims that Mattel failed to reimburse her for the toys, that she suffered damages as a result, and that she and her daughter suffered emotional distress.
A shocking packaging error on the Wicked movie dolls that caused a product recall by Mattel has led to a lawsuit from an outraged South Carolina mother – pictured Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in the film
The mother says Mattel has failed to do so age-appropriate product.
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives from Mattel and Universal Pictures for comment.
Responding to the recall, Mattel told DailyMail.com in a statement last month: ‘Mattel was made aware of a printing error on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, sold primarily in the US, which was intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMove.com. landing page.
‘We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to correct it. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not suitable for children.
“Consumers who already own the product are advised to discard the product packaging or hide the link and should contact Mattel customer service for further information.”
Instead of the film’s official site, ‘wickedmovie.com’, the box shares a link to ‘wicked.com’ – a pornographic website.
“The official Mattel Wicked dolls link to a porn site on the box,” someone posted on X with two crying emojis.
Based on eBay sales and social media responses, this wasn’t just a one-time mistake.
The blunder over Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s Glinda and Elphaba dolls shared a URL to a porn website instead of the film’s official page – with Mattel issuing an emergency recall for the toys last month
“This might be the worst mistake in the history of official merchandise,” one X user stated.
By missing just one word on the website, Mattel has sparked an outcry, with many people concerned about children unknowingly searching for the URL.
“Whoever did this should be fired immediately because why would they do that knowing that it is mainly children who buy these dolls,” said someone on X.
Another said: ‘It’s so weird knowing it’s a child’s toy.’
Others were simply baffled as to how such an error could find its way into production.
‘IS THIS REAL?’ someone asked.
The Glinda doll costs anywhere from $24.99 to about $40 at stores including Target and Macy’s.
“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, sold primarily in the US, which was intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMove.com landing page,” Mattel told DailyMail .com in a statement.
The dolls were removed from the shelves in physical stores and online
‘We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to correct it.
‘Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not suitable for children.
“Consumers who already own the product are advised to discard the product packaging or hide the link and should contact Mattel customer service for further information.”
But on eBay, some dolls in the damaged boxes are selling for between $175 and almost $500.
DailyMail.com contacted Universal Pictures for comment at the time.
The highly anticipated film is based on the 1995 book by Gregory Maguire that was later turned into a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical in 2003.
Directed by Jon M. Chu on an eye-popping budget of $145 million, Wicked has been split into two feature films, with the final chapter slated for November 2025.
Critics are calling Wicked: Part One a ‘masterpiece’ that ‘pops and enchants the big screen’ while welcoming audiences to the fantastic world of Oz, and it has been a huge box office success.
Critics are calling Wicked: Part One a ‘masterpiece’ that ‘pops and enchants the big screen’ while welcoming audiences to the fantastic world of Oz, and it has been a huge box office success.
The film’s leads, Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who play the witches Glinda and Elphaba respectively, have received high praise for their breathtaking singing and on-screen chemistry.