While the Wicked poster design has been the biggest controversy linked to the hit movie, there was also that unfortunate little incident in which toy maker Mattel put the URL of a porn website on the packaging of Wicked dolls.
Mattel printed the web address www.wicked.com instead of the correct address www.wickedmovie.com. It quickly apologised and advised parents to hide the offending material from their kids, but it hasn’t managed to avoid getting sued.
LMAO Universal pictures put the wrong website for @wickedmovie on the back of their dolls for kids. It leads to a porn website 😂😂😂😂😂 #Wicked pic.twitter.com/agD48yHltVNovember 10, 2024
A parent in South Carolina has launched lawsuit against Mattel after her daughter followed the link to a website that had “nothing to do with the Wicked dolls.”
“These scenes were hardcore, full on nude pornographic images depicting actual intercourse,” the lawsuit claims. “Plaintiff’s minor daughter immediately showed her mother the photographs and both were horrified by what they saw. If plaintiff had been aware of such an inappropriate defect in the product, she would not have purchased it.”
The plaintiff claims that the typo cause her and her child “emotional distress” and that Mattel did not offer a refund. She’s seeking an unspecified amount in damages and equitable remedies.
At the time, Mattel said in a statement: “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. People who have already purchased the dolls are advised to discard the packaging or obscure the link.”
For more design controversies, don’t miss our first glimpse of the Jaguar Type 00 EV. Meanwhile, Mattel continues to make movies of its own based on almost every toy it produces – even the View-Master.
