‘Wicked: For Good’ trailer
The trailer for Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Directed by Jon M. Chu.
The witches are back to finish what they started.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande reprise their roles as Elphaba and Glinda in “Wicked: For Good,” the conclusion of last year’s blockbuster. Adapted from the Broadway musical and based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 fantasy novel, ‘Wicked’ tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West leading up to the events of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – except the Wicked Witch of the West isn’t evil. In fact, she is a heroine, an outcast in society because of her green skin, only to become a powerful sorceress who fights against injustice in Oz.
Universal Pictures raised eyebrows when it announced it would release the musical adaptation in two parts, something that has never been done before. Classic musicals such as ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ had a running time of approximately three hours, but included intermissions.
Meanwhile, the first “Wicked,” which depicted Act I, had a running time of two hours and 40 minutes (about the length of the entire musical – including the intermission!) and “For Good,” which spans Act II, runs another two hours and 18 minutes, and is still more than twice as long as Act II on Broadway.
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From left to right: Ariana Grande is Glinda and Cynthia Erivo is Elphaba in “Wicked: For Good,” directed by Jon M. Chu. (Giles Keyte/Universal Photos)
If you look at what “Wicked” made at the box office last year (over $750 million worldwide), it’s clear why Universal was incentivized to make the popular musical for all its worth and make two films out of it. And that was at the expense of ‘For Good’.
What it ultimately did was take the fun and joy (and dare I say memeable moments) in the first and save a lot of the dark and dramatic content for the second. In “Wicked,” we see Elphaba and Glinda form a rivalry at Shiz University and compete for the affection of their boisterous classmate Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey). Even the villain of The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) is more convincing in the first part.
In “For Good,” Elphaba is a one-woman rebellion fighting against the tyranny of The Wizard, while Glinda struggles to figure out whether her allegiance belongs to her green friend or to the regime that gave her the life she always dreamed of. Additionally, the film haphazardly tries to bridge the plots of “Wicked” with “The Wizard of Oz,” which can seem disjointed, especially if you haven’t seen the staged version.
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Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero in “Wicked: For Good,” directed by Jon M. Chu. (Giles Keyte/Universal Photos)
Act I also features the catchy, memorable songs “Popular,” “Dancing Through Life” and “What Is This Feeling?” not to mention the breathtaking ‘Defying Gravity’. Act II’s tracklist pales in comparison: “No Good Deed” and “For Good” are the only highlights. The absence of the iconic tunes in this episode is really palpable.
With its PG rating, “For Good” attempts to thread the needle of appealing to children, despite the dark nature of the second act. Again, it’s a mistake resulting from separating the much lighter first act.
It’s worth giving the very talented Erivo a witch’s hat for her performance as Elphaba, but her strongest material is in the first ‘Wicked’. Grande has a lot more to offer in “For Good” thanks to Glinda’s character arc, who shows impressive range as an actress. She gives this film the spark it so desperately needs.
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Ariana Granda plays Glinda in “Wicked: For Good,” directed by Jon M. Chu. (Universal images)
Adapting a musical for the big screen is no easy task – luckily Jon M. Chu was up for it. Between ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, ‘In the Heights’ and the first ‘Wicked’, Chu knows how to go for grandeur. And despite the grimness of Act II’s plot, “For Good” was still fascinating to watch, between the extravagant costumes and production design and the stunning visual effects.
Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar-winning composer and lyricist who created the music for “Wicked,” notably wrote two new songs for the film, a subtle acknowledgment that Act II’s tracklist needed some kind of boost to warrant a standalone film.
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Jeff Goldblum is the Wizard of Oz in “Wicked: For Good,” directed by Jon M. Chu. (Giles Keyte/Universal Photos)
The verdict
“Wicked: For Good” marks a good but not great conclusion to last year’s cultural phenomenon. While it’s incredibly well made and its artistry may still be worth seeing on the big screen, it’s not nearly as fun as its predecessor.
And for those reading this from Hollywood, please never split movie musicals in half again. The extra money isn’t worth it.
★★★ — STREAM IT LATER
“Wicked: For Good” is rated PG for action/violence, suggestive material and thematic material. Running time: 2 hours, 18 minutes. In theaters from November 21, 2025.
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