Wicked: For Good, a Fantasy Musical Sequel Full of Drama and Controversy

"Wicked: For Good," also known as "Wicked: Part Two," is an American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu.

The film continues the story of "Wicked" (2024), adapting the second act of the 2003 stage musical written by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman.

The original musical itself is loosely based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, a rewriting of L. Frank Baum's 1900 story "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," as well as its acclaimed 1939 film adaptation.

With its rich and complex backstory, "Wicked: For Good" is expected to add further depth to the established narrative.

The film will explore themes of friendship, identity, and the struggle against injustice, set to captivating music.

The premiere of "Wicked: For Good" took place at the Suhai Music Hall in São Paulo, Brazil, on November 4, 2025.

Meanwhile, fans in the United States can see the film starting November 21, 2025.

In several other countries, such as France, the United Kingdom, and Australia, the film is scheduled for an earlier release on November 19, 2025.

The main cast from the first "Wicked" film will return to the big screen in "Wicked: For Good."

Cynthia Erivo will return as Elphaba Thropp, and Ariana Grande will play Glinda Upland.

Additionally, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard of Oz will also reprise their roles.

"Wicked: For Good" continues the story from "Wicked: Part One," focusing on the intriguing second act of the musical.

The film deeply depicts the journeys of Elphaba as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda as the Good Witch, with all the inner conflicts and difficult choices they face.

After defying the Great Wizard of Oz, Elphaba becomes a fugitive and becomes known as the Wicked Witch of the West, fighting for animal rights from her hideout.

Meanwhile, Glinda is positioned as the Wizard's spokesperson and becomes engaged to Fiyero Tigelaar, who is now Captain of the Wizard's Guard.

Nessarose rules Munchkinland, Boq transforms into the Tin Man, and Elphaba transforms Fiyero into the Scarecrow to save him.

Dorothy's arrival in Oz via tornado also serves as a key link between the story and "The Wizard of Oz."

• Elphaba fakes her death by "melting" to ensure she is never seen again in Oz, and escapes with Fiyero, who has become the Scarecrow.
• Glinda, unaware of Elphaba's fake death, continues the myth of the "wicked witch" while trying to do good.
• The film explores Glinda's inner conflict, knowing the truth about Elphaba but relishing her fame as "Good Glinda."
• Despite their conflict, Elphaba and Glinda ultimately forgive each other, demonstrating the depth of their friendship.

Reviews for "Wicked: For Good" published in November 2025 showed mixed reception, ranging from positive to slightly disappointing.

Emma Stefansky of IGN called the film "dark in every sense of the word," with dim lighting issues despite the "electric" performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.

She concluded that the film failed to prove the two-part adaptation was the right decision.

Conversely, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave a positive review, praising director Jon M. Chu for succeeding with a "well-proportioned" second part.

Bradshaw particularly highlighted the "superstar" performance of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, who displayed a new vulnerability and maturity, and Jeff Goldblum as the Witch.

However, Naveen Kumar of The Washington Post declared the film a "disappointment," arguing that the second part was "burdened by plot and lacking in hit songs."

He felt that dividing "Wicked" into two parts made the second half feel like "a pair of munchkin legs sprinting toward the finish line" without the emotional momentum of the first.

On the other hand, Chris Burlingame of The SunBreak gave the film a very positive review, scoring the film 4.5 out of 5. Burlingame considered "Wicked: For Good" to be the stronger part due to its "more subtle and overt darkness."

Wicked: For Good has all of the great parts of the first movie—opulent sets, heart-wrenching songs, the perfect lead cast—and all of its problems, too. Our review: https://t.co/GdfJx0wHQp pic.twitter.com/vcx9cTBmcs

— IGN (@IGN) November 18, 2025