REVIEW — “Wicked: For Good”

Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu, Wicked: For Good is a faithful adaptation of the popular stage production’s second act. The film picks up a short time after the events of last year’s celebrated first installment, which became the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time.

The sequel finds an exiled Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) being hunted by Oz’s determined Gale Force, led by Captain Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), and vilified through Madame Morrible’s (Michelle Yeoh) vicious propaganda as the terrorizing and fearful Wicked Witch of the West.

However, Elphaba knows the truth: the Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) is all smoke and mirrors. He has created an elaborate façade based on manipulation and lies and Oz, under Morrible’s martial law, has become a land of discrimination and injustice where both animals and munchkins are being persecuted.

As for Glenda (Ariana Grande), the good witch is living her best life as an adored public figure who is getting everything she has always dreamed of: an exalted social status and an arranged engagement to Fiyero. Things couldn’t be more perfect, but there is an underlying sadness to Glenda. While the attention is intoxicating, her attempts to convince herself that she is happy ring hollow. Because Fiyero is really in love with Elphaba. 

Their betrayal creates a captivating dynamic of mixed emotions between the three leads that culminates in several powerful, tear-eyed moments. With her powerful voice and commanding presence, Erivo once again proves why she is the quintessential Elphaba; however, Wicked: For Good is more or less the Glinda show. Crystalizing her own stamp on the role, Grande truly shines as a lead actress and stands on her own as a fully realized Glinda with remarkable commitment, attitude and grace.

The film attempts to deepen the relationships and themes of the musical’s second act through new songs and scenes like there’s “No Place Like Home.” Despite the lack of a “Defying Gravity”-level banger, the film features barn burning performances, like “No Good Deed” and the titular song “For Good,” delivered with powerful emotion that packs a punch and will leave fans of the stage production cheering and girlfriends in the audience sobbing.

Indeed, Wicked, the 4th longest-running Broadway show in history, would be nowhere near as pop-u-lar without its stellar Stephen Schwartz songs. The musical itself is an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” which twists creator L. Frank Baum’s wonderful world of Oz by presenting the Wicked Witch as a sympathetic character and Dorothy as a clueless nuisance, a script-flip that would go on to inspire similarly stretched-thin projects like Disney’s Maleficent.

Both Maguire’s novel and the musical’s book, written by Winnie Holzman, feature overly dramatic dialogue and poorly named characters that are tied together through sheer coincidence. With a screenplay by Holzman and Dana Fox, Wicked: For Good often forgets that it is a movie and allows itself to get weighed down by its source material. Like the musical, a lot of the film’s action occurs off-screen. Which is unfortunate, because there is so much that could have been mined for emotional depth and added context. For a feature film that is attempting to stretch a stage production’s second act into a 2hr+ running time, Wicked: For Good leaves a lot of meat on the bone.

And I know this is not Dorothy’s story, but we are invested in those beloved characters and are interested in seeing them meet again for the first time, especially now that we know the Tin Man and Scarecrow were friends from school. However, instead of taking any creative liberties and showing us what the stage musical could not, this film refuses to step out of its safe bubble.

By sidelining Baum’s most popular characters and failing to fully showcase their evolution, the film robs the audience of earned emotional beats. This is most evident when the film’s action runs parallel to the events of The Wizard of Oz. The OG characters are quickly moved behind-the-scenes from point A to point B while keeping the focus on the emotional tug-of-war between the two leads.

Perhaps the filmmakers were trying to preserve the sanctity of the musical, but why remain completely beholden to the musical’s book (especially one that is based on a revisionist piece of Oz fan fiction) when there is so much Ozian lore out there to be mined? Seems like a wasted opportunity to expand the world of the film while paying homage to its creator. But who needs lions, tigers and bears when you’ve got romance, betrayal and suspense? Oh my! For a more  satisfying trip to the land of Oz, do yourself a favor and read Baum’s original books, watch the best Oz movie, Return to Oz, on Disney+, and check out The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story, featuring the wickedly talented and terribly missed, John Ritter.

However, if you’re just a fan of Wicked the musical, then Wicked: For Good is a richly emotional and colorfully entertaining finale that stands as a beautiful testament to the bonds of everlasting friendship. And the film’s final shot is *Chef’s Kiss*! 3.5/5

Rated PG with a running time of 2 hours and 17 minutes, Wicked: For Good opens only in theaters on November 21, 2025.