In November 2024, moviegoers worldwide were finally treated to the highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, Part One explores the unlikely friendship between Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), a powerful young woman misunderstood and feared because of her green skin, and Galinda/Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande), a blonde and whimsical woman “gilded by privilege and ambition.”
Following its release, the fantasy adventure became a smash hit amongst critics and viewers, with many praising the film for its larger-than-life musical numbers, Grande and Erivo’s standout performances and its stunning special effects. In addition to earning universal acclaim, Wicked: Part One was a huge box office success, snagging the biggest global opening for a non-sequel film for 2024, the biggest global and domestic opening for a movie based on a Broadway show and the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation globally, earning an estimated $750 million.
Fortunately for fans, the Wicked extravaganza is far from over due to the sequel, Wicked: For Good, headed to cinemas later this year. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of everything we know about the highly anticipated follow-up, including cast, plot details and more.
Is there an official Wicked: For Good trailer?
No, the bigwigs at Universal Pictures have not blessed us with an official trailer for the final film in the Wicked duology. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long for the first sneak peek visual. On 14 May, it was announced that the trailer would be premiering in US and Canada-based cinemas on 4 June, coinciding with the one-night-only re-release of Wicked: Part One.
“We know you’ve been waiting for this, and it’s finally coming,” Cynthia Erivo exclaimed in an Instagram video posted to the Wicked Instagram account. “You will be changed,” Grande said, before Erivo added: “For good.”
While NBCUniversal has not announced a wider release date for the trailer, it’s safe to say that it won’t be too long after its theatrical premiere.
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What will Wicked: For Good be about?
Spoilers ahead!
While Universal Pictures has refrained from sharing an official synopsis, we know that the Wicked sequel will adapt Act Two of the beloved stage musical.
After reclaiming her power and ‘Defying Gravity,’ Elphaba is branded an enemy of Oz, earning her the title of the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’. At the same time, Glinda takes on the role of the Wizard’s spokesperson with the help of Madame Morrible, while Fiyero becomes the captain of the Wizard’s Guard. With Elphaba and Glinda on two very different paths, the second film will follow the duo as they navigate their new lives, complex friendship and the various social and political conflicts arising throughout Oz. It will also tie into the original story of the Wizard of Oz, but we’ll get into that later.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chu opened up about Wicked: For Good’s central theme.
“If Part 1 is about choices, Part 2 is about consequences. Choices are difficult to make, but when you do make those choices, sometimes the result isn’t what you expect it to be. It can be lonely, it can be hard,” he explained. “There’s a lot of soul searching in movie 2. They’re asking, ‘Is this the right decision that you made?”
Despite the source material’s darker tone, the Crazy Rich Asians director assured the news outlet that Wicked: For Good will contain heartwarming and feel-good moments. “There’s lots of fun parts. We’ve not forgotten about that, but there’s a matureness and a nuance to it that we earn from the first movie. The second movie really gets to play with [that maturity],” he said.
Will there be new songs or plot changes?
*Spoilers ahead*
While Wicked: For Good is set to adapt Act Two of the stage musical, it will also include new original content for fans to sink their teeth into. Back in December, Erivo revealed that she recorded and co-wrote a new track for Elphaba alongside legendary songwriter Stephen Schwartz.
“I don’t know if you’re ready for it. I mean, I love the song, and I remember when we filmed it, the cast and crew were crying,” she teased on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. “So I don’t know. And I don’t know if that’s just because they were emotional that day or that’s what the song does.”
Erivo went on to describe the untitled song as “very, very special” before stating that she didn’t want to give away any more details.
“I have a feeling that even the title will move you,” she cheekily added.
Elphaba isn’t the only character that’s set to receive a new track. In January, Grande announced that she, too, recorded a new Glinda solo track for the film. “It’s a pivotal moment in Glinda’s journey. It shows a side of her we’ve never seen before. In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage,” she revealed in a separate interview on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast.
“But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It’s a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.”
Towards the end of her statement, Grande expressed her hopes for the exciting new song to be included in the stage version, adding: “Wouldn’t that be lovely?”
In addition to the two new numbers, Wicked: For Good will feature a major change to Nessarose’s (Marissa Bode) story arc. In Act Two of the stage production, Nessa gains the ability to walk after Elphaba enchants her silver slippers.
While details on the exact change are being kept under wraps, Bode, who is the first disabled actress to portray Nessarose, shared a few details with Teen Vogue on what fans can expect.
“There will be movie magic and just magic in general, but just not in the way that I think a lot of people think it might be,” she explained to the publication. “There have been changes that I think are great in terms of representation in a healthy way, but I don’t think I can say more than that.”
Who is returning from Wicked: Part One?
Since Wicked: Part One and Wicked: For Good were filmed back-to-back, the majority of the cast will be reprising their roles, alongside Erivo and Grande.
The star-studded ensemble includes: Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Glinda and Elphaba’s former Shiz classmate.
As we mentioned earlier, Wicked: For Good will tie in the original Wizard of Oz story and its characters, like Dorothy Gale. However, Chu has remained mum on the actress set to step into the beloved role, originally brought to life by the iconic Judy Garland.
In an interview with Variety, the In the Heights director teased: “The Wizard of Oz is potentially a dream. It’s a world where there are no real stakes. Knowing that Elphaba and Glinda live in a world of real stakes, we had to reestablish with the audience that this was real.
“So we dropped everyone into the crime scene, maybe the most famous crime scene ever in cinema and literature, of the iconic hat in the puddle. We see the full landscape of Oz. It’s this living, breathing place with real cultures, so we immediately establish this is not a dream world. Seeing those four characters also triggers something in your mind; you connect those characters with this place. And we will revisit those characters in movie two.”
When is the release date for Wicked: For Good?
Fortunately, the wait for Wicked: For Good won’t be too long, with the musical adventure scheduled to hit theatres on 21 November 2025. Like its predecessor, the sequel’s upcoming release will be a magical occasion that features tons of promotional content.
On 12 May, Chu announced that Erivo and Grande would be leading a special Wicked TV event, which is airing on NBC and Peacock in the fall.
“I am absolutely delighted to let you in on a centrepiece of our campaign for the second film, it’s something that’s never been done in the 22-year history of Wicked,” Chu revealed at NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation.
“This fall, our stars Cynthia Erivo and incandescent Ariana Grande, will be joined by their castmates and some wonderful surprise guests in a one time only event from Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, they will perform live many of the songs from the first movie – and maybe a little bit from the second one as well, for a night of entertainment that we think will be, as they say in Oz, thrillifying.”
This article will be updated over time.
Wicked: Part One is now available to stream on Peacock.
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