Mattel apologises for ‘Wicked’ mistake, admits to printing error on toy packaging with explicit website address

Malay Mail
Malay Mail

LOS ANGELES, Nov 11 — Mattel has announced it is taking “immediate action” after mistakenly printing an explicit website address on packaging for dolls tied to the upcoming Wicked movie.

As reported by Malay Mail yesterday, photos surfaced online showing the dolls’ boxes featuring a link to wicked.com, rather than the correct wickedmovie.com.

According to The Guardian, the error appeared on packaging for the Glinda and Elphaba dolls, based on the film’s lead characters, played by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Mattel issued a statement on Sunday acknowledging the mistake.

As The Guardian noted, the statement read: “Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the US, which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page.

“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.”

The boo-boo on a Mattel toy packaging. — Picture via X/@just2goodYT
The boo-boo on a Mattel toy packaging. — Picture via X/@just2goodYT

The boo-boo on a Mattel toy packaging. — Picture via X/@just2goodYT

The misprint appears to have affected dolls sold at Target and Amazon, the film’s official retail partners. The dolls are now listed as “currently unavailable” on Amazon’s US site, and according to the Hollywood Reporter, they were also pulled from shelves at Target as of yesterday afternoon.

The film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo is now showing in theatres, with Jon M Chu directing. Malaysia’s own Michelle Yeoh also features in a supporting role.