Mattel apologises for ‘misprinting’ link to adult site on Wicked toy boxes

Toy giant Mattel has found itself in hot water after a packaging error that led its customers to an adult entertainment site rather than the official site for the much-anticipated Wicked movie, starring Ariana Grande.

To promote the movie’s release on November 22, Mattel rolled out a limited edition line of Wicked dolls inspired by the beloved characters Glinda, Elphaba, and others.

On November 9, Sarah Genao, a shopper, posted on X about the discovery on the back of a Glinda doll box she found in-store. Her images revealed the URL for the website wicked dot com printed near the barcode, a link that lead to an age-restricted adult website, not the expected movie site.

Other fans quickly confirmed that the same link appeared on the boxes of other dolls in the collection.

Mattel quickly issued a formal apology, saying it “deeply regrets” the misprint. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the company clarified that the link was intended to direct customers to WickedMovie.com, the official website for the film presented by Universal Pictures. A simple omission of the word “movie” resulted in the misdirection, linking instead to the adult site.

“Our intent was to celebrate the characters brought to life by Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba,” Mattel stated. “We are committed to resolving this issue quickly.”

The dolls, priced at $39.99 and available at major retailers such as Target, Amazon, and Walmart, have been generating excitement since their launch on September 26. Each doll reflects the look and persona of the film’s characters, with some models even including singing features to mirror the actors’ on-screen performances.

For customers who may already have the product, Mattel advises discarding the packaging or obscuring the link and has directed affected buyers to reach out to Mattel Customer Service for more information.