Wicked director reveals real reason Munchkins look so different in new film

A lot can change in 100 years - including the ins and outs of the Wizard of Oz film franchise.

Following the release of Wicked last week - which is actually a prequel to the 1939 fantasy flick - viewers were surprised to see just how many references there were to the original version, and how many modern day changes were made by director Jon M. Chu.

For those out of the loop with the film's origins, Wicked is a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, and an on-screen version of Stephen Schwartz's Broadway banger of the same name.

As we say, the cinema success only bares a handful of resemblance to its predecessors.

The main difference is the sage green witch herself, of course, with a young and loveable Elphaba being the central character in Cynthia Erivo's portrayal, and the evil antagonist in the older version.

Alternatively, where the actual Wizard hints at being slightly on the naughty side when he's played by Frank Morgan, he's actually full blown corrupt in the latest version which stars Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard.

Other changes were made due to copyright restrictions - like Dorothy's famous slippers being silver in the new production, compared to the ruby pair that Judy Garland wore way back when.

The Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz (Warner Bros)

Unusually, however, viewers of Wicked and nostalgic fans of the Wizard of Oz will have noticed when watching the new movie that a conscious change has also been made to the portrayal of the Munchkins.

Throughout the award-winning franchise - which also includes the unofficial, controversial and downright eerie 1985 sequel, Return to Oz - the Munchkins had played a key role in the plot.

In the 1939 version, they assist with Dorothy's search for the Wizard, and in Wicked, they're predominantly represented by Boq, an attendee of the same high school as Elphaba and Glinda, the latter of whom he falls head over heels for.

What is most surprising about Boq is how different he appears compared to the actors from the 1939 movie, all of whom were played by actors with dwarfism.

Instead, the Munchkins in Wicked are based on Boq actor Ethan Slater's likeness.

But why?

Well, the film's director explained the decision: "We wanted [Boq] to come from a culture, and so we were trying to reinvent what a Munchkin is."

Boq is played by Ethan Slater (Universal)

He went on: "In our eyes, Munchkin was not a size. We built the Munchkinland look around him, in a weird way—like this red-haired, fair-skinned type of character."

Portrayed by Ariana's real-life love interest, Boq's character is seen becoming close to Nessarose in the new producion, Elphaba's younger sister - who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the East. You know, the one that gets squashed by the falling house in the Wizard of Oz?

In Wicked, Boq becomes Nessarose's assistant, who acts as a leader for the munchkin people and is later - spoiler! - goes on to become the Tin Man, who helps Dorothy to escape Oz in the Judy Garland version.

See, it all makes sense in the end.