Nearly a year ago to the day, Wicked (2024) premiered in theaters, leaving in its wake one of the most chaotic and iconic press tours of all time, as well as a lasting impact on the heart of pop culture. However, the story of the Witches of Oz didn’t end there. Fans of the stage musical know very well that post-intermission is where the driving, emotional force of this tragic tale breaks its way to the surface. Cue Wicked: For Good (2025), the cinematic adaptation of the musical’s second act that returns audiences to a polarized Oz, where everyone is on edge and truth is hard to come by.
While there’s no exact figure of time to mark the gap between the awe-inspiring “Defying Gravity” sequence and the opening of Wicked: For Good, it’s generally assumed that a minimum of a few years has passed. Admittedly, this time jump isn’t convincing in the slightest. During this period, Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) has withdrawn from society, seeking refuge in a whimsical forest as her magical abilities grow stronger than ever. She has been strategizing ways to expose the deceitful Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and his web of lies, seeking justice and freedom for all the citizens of Oz.
Divided by Fear and Propaganda
Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande), on the other hand, has become one of the most famous public figures in all the land. Though still lacking in her own magical powers, the perks she receives from becoming a key pawn in the propaganda being spun by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the former Dean of Sorcery at Shiz University, make all of her childhood dreams come true. It was all too tempting. The falsities that embellish and engulf her entire existence quickly become the verity of her livelihood. That is, until her bubble bursts and realization sinks in.
Courtesy of Universal
Intentionally or not, Glinda plays a key role in painting her once-best friend as a villain and pushes Elphaba toward fulfilling the infamous title of “The Wicked Witch of the West.” Much like the first installment, Wicked: For Good remains fiercely loyal to the source material, diverging only slightly for solitary scenes that deepen Elphaba and Glinda’s respective emotional journeys. While this might be a positive for fans of the musical, it often feels like a complete inconvenience to the film’s pacing. It is widely agreed upon that the second half of the musical is weaker, but even with the opportunity to adjust and strengthen, director Jon M. Chu and the updated script play it fairly straightforward.
Enter the Fab Four of Oz
Dorothy Gale from Kansas stays accurately faceless and firmly in the background, as Wicked: For Good further overlaps with the plot of The Wizard of Oz. This restraint works well enough on a stage. However, in the context of a movie, the nature of these two intertwined stories can be more vividly explored. The rest of the Fab Four, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion (voiced by Colman Domingo), play pivotal roles in Elphaba’s journey. As egregious as these cameos may seem at first, one of Wicked‘s greatest strengths has always been its ability to recontextualize a familiar tale, perceptively denoting how narratives are shaped and distorted.
Courtesy of Universal
In this finale, those threads are once again woven with precision, forming a tapestry that traverses across what it means to be good, evil, and all the complicated space in between. Wicked: For Good leans into a darker tone, leaving less room for comedy. Thus, the overall selection of songs is somewhat less memorable. Still, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo do exceptional work breathing new life into these songs, and at times even evoking the kind of grand energy that might have you on your feet applauding if it were a stage production. Notably, Erivo’s rendition of “No Good Deed” exceeds all expectations, with her immense talent as both a singer and actor culminating in a wholly unforgettable performance.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Once Again Mystify Viewers
If the first half of this story wasn’t convincing enough, Wicked: For Good solidifies just how downright exquisite Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are in these iconic roles. Grande fully embodies Glinda the Good, understanding her every nuance, from her rash naivety to her growing empathy. Simply put, Grande is spot-on in her portrayal and nails the heavier dramatic lifting required of her in this second act.
Erivo is equally as awe-inspiring. The way in which she sheds her own skin, completely disappearing into Elphaba, can only be compared to seeing a unicorn. It’s a mystical experience to watch her lead such a hefty ensemble with what seems like endless vigor. Together with Jonathan Bailey (Jurassic World Rebirth, Bridgerton) as Fiyero Tigelaar, the pair share a crackling tension that is a pleasure to indulge in. Frankly, it is only Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians) who is a disappointment on the performance front, delivering off-tune singing and a sweepingly flat execution of Madame Morrible, the true evil mastermind behind Elphaba’s downfall.
Wicked: For Good Doesn’t Deviate Enough From the Broadway Musical
It’s hard to fault this cinematic adaptation, as Wicked: For Good functions convincingly as one half of a whole and ties its narrative strands together with competence and care. Visually, it’s far less frustrating than its predecessor. The camerawork is more dynamic and undeniably more saturated, perhaps in response to criticisms that the first movie often felt too subdued and muted in color. Again, many of this film’s limitations are inherited from the stage production that Jon M. Chu is so determined to honor. Some fans will argue that Wicked: For Good was always going to turn out this way. Yet, in that same breath, it’s also easy to wonder why the opportunity to enrich the material wasn’t seized.
The potential for this story to cinematically evolve is tantalizingly within Chu’s reach. With this being a “Part Two,” the space and time to flesh out the bond that once made these two women inseparable is waiting to be tapped. What we are given suffices, but it doesn’t dare to build upon what the Tony-award winning musical already established. The two new songs, “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble,” fit neatly into the narrative without feeling shoehorned in. It helps that they are both written by original Wicked composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz, though they offer little lasting impact or memorability.
Yet, what is undeniable is how genuinely entertaining Wicked: For Good is to watch and how confidently it succeeds as a movie musical. It’s fun, flamboyant, and totally aware of its own spectacle. The Wicked duology will be remembered as exactly that: two vibrant and ambitious projects that honored a beloved Broadway musical and propelled their leads toward even greater, well-deserved stardom.
Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21!
Release Date: November 21, 2025.
Directed by Jon M. Chu.
Screenplay by Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox.
Based on Wicked the musical by Stephen Schwartz & Winnie Holzman.
Based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire.
Produced by Marc Platt & David Stone.
Executive Producers: Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox, Jared LeBoff, & David Nicksay.
Main Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Sharon D. Clarke, , Keala Settle, & Colman Domingo.
Cinematographer: Alice Brooks.
Composers: John Powell (Score) & Stephen Schwartz (Songs).
Editor: Myron Kerstein.
Production Companies: Universal Pictures & Marc Platt Productions.
Distributor: Universal Pictures.
Runtime: 137 minutes.
Rated PG.
