Wicked: For Good (United States, 2025)

The filmmakers have decided to append the subtitle For Good onto this, the conclusion to their bifurcated adaptation of the insanely popular Broadway musical. An equally appropriate title might be Wicked: More of the Same, because that’s exactly what this movie offers: more of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo gazing longingly at one another, more of the lavish production design re-creating Oz, more of the undercooked political shenanigans, and (of course) more of the songs, which start to sound alike after a while. In short, Wicked: For Good has all the makings of a box-office success story since it will doubtlessly cause fans of 2024’s Wicked to swoon.

To be clear, I didn’t hate the movie. In fact, I enjoyed parts of it, even while recognizing the two most obvious issues: (1) a tendency to push some of the most interesting narrative aspects into the subtext, and (2) the inevitable bloat that comes from stretching a 150-minute stage play into a 300-minute, two-part movie. The argument for the expanded length is that it allows the story to be told in full, but the drawbacks are equally obvious: sleep-inducing stretches where nothing seems to be happening. The film is also more overtly political than the play, with unsubtle attempts to draw parallels between the Wizard’s reign in Oz and contemporary events.

Director Jon M. Chu delivers, as promised, the story’s second act, detailing how the now-outlawed Elphaba (Erivo) advances her PETA-approved campaign against the authoritarian reign of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and his right-hand enchantress, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Meanwhile, the powerless Glinda (Grande) soaks up the media spotlight as the administration’s chosen darling while gradually beginning to doubt her role in things. Add in the Elphaba/Glinda rivalry for the affections of the personality-deprived Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and the arrival of Dorothy and Toto for their trip down the Yellow Brick Road.

Chu’s strengths from Wicked are replicated in For Good. The production numbers are lavish (especially “Wonderful”) and energetic, even though the songs aren’t on quite the same level—Act I contains the play’s two standouts, the peppy “Popular” and the anthem “Defying Gravity.” Unfortunately, the meaty, edgier material related to deconstructing a beloved classic is de-emphasized. The film’s exploration of how the media can create fictionalized portraits (of Elphaba, Glinda, and the Wizard) is touched on only superficially. The movie also takes its PG rating very seriously—the musical had a little more bite, and it’s easy to imagine a faithful adaptation of the novel earning an R—which at times makes this feel like one of Disney’s live-action remakes.

The movie doubles down on the unspoken sexual attraction between Elphaba and Glinda. Their love, although verbalized at one point, never crosses into the physical—it’s all looks, glances, and body language. The chemistry between Erivo and Grande is palpable, which has the unintended consequence of making poor Jonathan Bailey seem like an afterthought. His underwritten Fiyero, allegedly the heartthrob desired by both women, feels like an impediment placed there to prevent consummation of a sapphic relationship.

Erivo, who earned an Oscar nomination for Wicked, isn’t given the same level of dramatic material to navigate here as in the first film. Her singing remains strong, but the character doesn’t enjoy the same degree of development. Grande’s acting talent shows cracks. She’s an excellent singer, but her performance seems to consist mainly of crying while the camera spins in a circle around her. Jeff Goldblum is as delightful as ever—it’s to his credit that, as devious and duplicitous as the Wizard is, we still find ourselves liking him.

The ending feels rushed and vaguely unsatisfying, as if the screenplay, in its haste to wrap everything up and squeeze in another song or two, shortchanges a number of secondary plot lines. The conclusion to Elphaba’s story, faithful to the musical but not the novel, comes across as contrived. Chu’s decision to de-emphasize Dorothy seems appropriate for material designed specifically as a counterpoint to her perspective in The Wizard of Oz.

Blockbusters like the Wicked duology exist under the weight of massive fan-driven expectations, so it’s no surprise that Chu plays it safe, leaning into fan service and offering “more” rather than “less.” With such a built-in audience, a box-office disappointment is virtually impossible, but the film’s long-term legacy is far less certain. Suffice it to say that those who love the play will sit enraptured through Wicked for Good and not think it’s a minute too long. Those without the same depth of connection may leave wishing Chu had hired a less generous editor and made better use of his pruning shears.

Wicked: For Good (United States, 2025)