“I have been changed for good.” These lyrics draw the pathway for the new release of the musical made movie, “Wicked”. Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and many other well-known celebrities, this movie is highly anticipated by many fans all over the world. “Wicked: For Good” is the continuation story of two good friends, two best friends, who are completely different, yet find they have much more in common than they believe. Viewers follow Elphaba and Galinda as they move through Oz, and learn more about each other…and themselves.
Galinda, a free-spirited, entitled girl, arrives at Shiz, ready for her adventure, when she encounters Elphaba, a misfit, greenish girl who wants nothing more than to be seen as normal. As the first movie progressed, the girls explored Oz and found out more about the truth, as Galinda became Glinda the Good, and Elphaba turned into the Wicked Witch of the West. Ozians and Munchkins all turned against Elphaba, except Glinda the Good. Glinda revealed at the beginning of the first movie her beloved friendship with the wicked witch, which made the people of Munchkinland mindblown, but also empathetic over the “loss” of her dear friend. On November 22, 2024, “Wicked Part 1” was released. Fans who had already seen the Broadway production of Wicked expected the movie to be the entirety of the musical; instead, the director of the movie, Jon M. Chu decided to split the musical in half for the two-part movie. Whether this was to build suspense for the deep second act of the show, or just to stir up more suspicions.
“Wicked: For Good” is scheduled to be released in theaters on November 21, 2025. Social media has been stirring up about this date since the trailer was released. The trailer has released some teasers that peek into what is to be expected, while also not revealing too much. Although on the “Wicked” themed episode of Dancing with the Stars, a clip was released that shows Elphaba and Glinda in the Wizards’ Throne room, singing the song called “Wonderful”, which is a song convincing Elphaba that even though she earlier denied the Wizard, he can make her wonderful once again. “Wicked” has people at the edge of their seats, suspecting what is coming next, although some moviegoers who witnessed the Broadway musical live already know what will unfold in this second part of the movie series. This creates even more suspense for fans, who already know what should happen, but wonder how the movie will change the original plot, music style, and timeline. Lewis Cass junior, Raegan Mundy has seen the Broadway production and fully anticipates what is to happen, but has her own thoughts on what might be different. Mundy said, “I think the first movie was pretty accurate compared to the first act of the musical, so I definitely think the second movie will align well with the second act, though I have heard they added two new songs, so I’m pretty excited for that.” She was also asked if she had read the book, and if not, she was asked to compare the musical and the movie so far. She mentioned, “I have not read the book, but I have seen and listened to the musical. I do think it was pretty accurate, of course, there are things in the cinema world that you can’t do on stage, but I think everything was executed well and they did a very good job at keeping it accurate to the original musical.”
Although many people have seen the second part of the musical or might have an idea of what could happen, some viewers do not know what unfolds in the second half. Junior, Mia Hall, who has only seen the first installment of the Wicked franchise, was asked about her suspicions. Hall mentioned, “As someone who has only seen the first part of Wicked, I am hoping that Elphaba does not actually die, but instead she helps save the animals who are being held in cages, and she uses her powers to help better Oz, and she stays friends with Glinda at the end of the movie, and they rule together!” Mia was also asked what her favorite part of “Wicked Part 1” was. Hall said, “My favorite part of the first part was how Elphaba was not truly Wicked at all until she was asked to harm the animals instead of saving them, and it shows what she wants to do with her life to help the poor animals like the cub she saved or Dr. Dillamond. It was amazing how her viewpoint changed after she realized the truth of what was happening in Oz.”
Whether you have seen the merch hanging in stores or seen the Broadway musical, Wicked is a beautiful tale about how differences can bring people together. Even if you are green, full of self-doubt, and anxious, you can make friends and defy odds beyond belief. “Wicked: For Good” has a ton of room for twists and turns to be made into a new cinematic masterpiece. With the strong vocals from both of the main actresses, the music will be impactful, maybe even more than part one. So, grab your pink or green best friend, load up your bags with snacks, and be off to see the wizard this Friday at your local theater. “Wicked: For Good” will change you for the better.
