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Getty ImagesToy manufacturer Mattel has said it “deeply regrets” a misprint on packaging for dolls inspired by the new Wicked movie which listed the address for an adult website.
The company recently released the singing dolls ahead of the long-awaited film starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
But eagle-eyed fans posted images on social media showing the packaging had a pornography website on it, instead of the movie’s web address.
In a statement, Mattel apologised for the “unfortunate error” and advised parents that the misprinted website “is not appropriate for children”.
The BBC has seen online instructions on Mattel’s website, for both the Glinda and Elphaba dolls, listing the erroneous website underneath the Universal Pictures logo – the film studio behind the movie.
Mattel recommends the dolls for children aged four and above.
Fans who bought the doll posted about their surprise on social media.
“I purchased the Singing Elphaba doll and upon inspection, the website printed on the back side [of the] Mattel box, right above the barcode is listed as… an unaffiliated adult [not safe for work] 18+ website,” one person posted on Reddit.
“Anyone else seeing this!?”
In another post, a US-based woman said: “Went to Target and Walmart today and yeah, the Wicked dolls have the [porn] website listed.”
MattelMattel said the dolls had primarily been sold in the US.
It added: “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this.”
“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 Wicked movie comes after two decades of the musical on stage.
Set in the Land of Oz before Dorothy Gales’ arrival from Kansas, the movie covers the musical’s first act.
British actress Erivo plays Elphaba, a young woman misunderstood because of her green skin and who is yet to discover her power which will eventually lead her to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.
She strikes up an unlikely friendship with classmate Glinda, played by Grammy-winning singer Grande, who will go on to become the Good Witch of the North.
The movie is set to be released in the US and UK on 22 November.
World number one Jannik Sinner brushed past Alex de Minaur after Taylor Fritz defeated an irate Daniil Medvedev on the opening day of the ATP Finals.
Sinner, playing on home soil in Turin, Italy, won 6-3 6-4 to extend his perfect record against the Australian seventh seed.
Earlier, American Fritz recorded his 50th win of the year by beating Medvedev 6-4 6-3 as the group stage of the season-ending tournament got under way.
“I’m super happy with how I played today,” said Fritz, who reached his first Grand Slam final at September’s US Open.
Fourth seed Medvedev hit seven double faults in a tight opening set in the Ilie Nastase Group, including two back-to-back to give Fritz set point.
Capping a calamitous service game, the Russian double-faulted again, and reacted angrily to going behind by smashing his racquet against his seat and the ground.
At the start of the second set, Medvedev earned his first break point of the match but slammed his backhand return into the net.
Further break points went unconverted for both players before fifth seed Fritz, 27, capitalised on his third, with a mis-hit lob that landed on the baseline.
An irritated Medvedev then received a point penalty after he broke a courtside microphone by throwing his racquet.
The northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides) brings unexpected ecosystem benefits
All Canada Photos/Alamy
Two years after Mount St Helens erupted in 1980, a team of researchers helicoptered in a gopher to the ash-covered landscape. Decades later, the activity of that single gopher burrowing for a single day may have helped the decimated ecosystem regrow by boosting the diversity of soil fungi.
“There’s something to be said about learning lessons from the gophers,” says Mia Maltz at the University of Connecticut, who has used the eruption to understand how forests might recover from other stresses – including wildfires and…
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