Everything To Know About Wicked: For Good

Theater kids waited a long time for Jon M. Chu’s Wicked film adaptation since it was announced in November 2021, and it was well worth the wait. After hitting theaters in November 2024, Wicked became the highest-grossing Broadway musical film adaptation of all time, earning immense critical acclaim and 10 Oscar nominations.

But now, viewers have to wait even longer to finish the story. In April 2022, Chu announced that the Wicked film would be a two-part adaptation, with each installment scheduled for release one year apart. The ending of Wicked confirmed this with a “To Be Continued” sign after its final scene.

As revealed in 2021, Cynthia Erivo was cast in the iconic role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz, while Ariana Grande will play her beloved counterpart, Glinda the Good Witch. They’ve pledged, in addition to Chu, “to create nothing less than an experience that honors its foundation for all the fans who’ve waited for this movie,” per the director’s statement.

In December 2024, shortly after the first film premiered in theaters, Universal announced that the sequel would no longer be titled Part 2. Instead, it would be Wicked: For Good. Read on for everything you need to know about the upcoming film.

Wicked: For Good Cast

As mentioned, the Wicked cast is led by Erivo and Grande, who have the blessing of a pretty important pair: Broadway’s original Glinda and Elphaba, Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, respectively.

“I’m not sure if I’ve ever been this proud,” Chenoweth tweeted to Grande in November. “From the very first day I met you, you were destined for this role.” Menzel wrote that she has “so much love” for the new Wicked women on Instagram. “May it change your lives for the better forever and ever as it has for us.” The pair later supported Grande and Erivo at the Wicked premiere in November.

As reported by Variety in September 2022, Jonathan Bailey will play Elphaba and Glinda’s love interest Fiyero. That December, the outlet confirmed that Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh will play Madame Morrible, while Ethan Slater, who earned a Tony nomination for playing SpongeBob Squarepants on Broadway, will portray the lovable Boq.

Finally, Jeff Goldblum confirmed in March that he joined the cast as the Wizard that started it all. Other stars include Marissa Bode as Elphaba’s sister Nessarose, Peter Dinklage as the voice of Dr. Dillamond, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Glinda’s sidekicks Pfannee and Shenshen, and Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, a new character created specifically for the films.

Wicked: For Good Plot & Changes

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked is a prequel to The Wizard of Oz. It revolves around the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, and explores how each woman came to be known as the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch. As promised in Chu’s statement, the Wicked films will “[bring] even more depth and surprise to the journeys of these beloved characters.”

While the first film stayed true to the original plot, there will be some expansions and changes in Wicked: For Good. The sequel will include a wedding scene with Glinda and Fiyero, which is a significant switch from the musical, where they are only engaged.

The first Wicked trailer previews Glinda in a wedding dress, which was not featured in the first movie, and the scene was seen again in a first look at For Good that premiered at CinemaCon in April. However, for all fans know, this could be a possible dream sequence for Glinda.

In addition, Bode teased that Nessarose’s storyline in Wicked: For Good has slightly shifted from the original musical, with her character no longer resenting that Elphaba never used her powers to help her walk. Instead of “pleading for a disability to be fixed,” she told People that a new scene was written that “focuses on the magic in general” within the story.

Wicked: For Good Songs

Not only will there be some new storylines in Wicked: For Good, but there will also be new songs. Erivo and Grande collaborated with original Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz to write two original songs, one for Elphaba and one for Glinda, specifically for the film. Details about the tracks are being kept under wraps, but both actors were thrilled with how they turned out.

“I don’t know if you’re ready for it,” Erivo told Variety about Elphaba’s number. “I love the song, and I remember when we filmed it, the cast and crew were crying. So I don’t know. And I don’t know if that’s just because they were emotional that day, or that’s what the song does.”

Grande told Variety in a separate interview that Glinda’s new song is a “pivotal moment” for her. “It shows a side of her we’ve never seen before,” she teased. “In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage. But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It’s a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.”

Wicked: For Good Trailer

On June 3, Universal Pictures released the first teaser for Wicked: For Good, unveiling Erivo, Grande, and the cast’s subtle yet powerful transformations for the upcoming sequel.

An official trailer followed the next day, and there’s a lot going on! The new footage teases a closer look at Dorothy and her friends meeting the Wizard, a swoon-worthy moment between Elphaba and Fiyero, and iconic musical moments like Elphaba’s “No Good Deed” and her moving duet with Glinda that gave the film its name: “For Good.”

Between the hunt for Elphaba and Glinda seemingly walking down the aisle to marry Fiyero (which doesn’t happen in the Broadway musical), Oz looks very different these days. As Chu told Vanity Fair, you’ll see the cast “grow up” as For Good tackles some new, scary territory.

“It’s life or death for all of them, so a wedding seemed appropriate,” he said of Glinda and Fiyero’s apparent nuptials, adding that a marriage could make it “harder to forgive certain things in certain scenarios.” Even so, the trailer does tease several sweet moments between Elphaba and Glinda.

Wicked: For Good Release Date

Though the Wicked split means you’ll have to wait even longer to hear beloved Act 2 songs like “For Good” in full, we do at least know when to expect the next film. Part 1 debuted on Nov. 22, 2024, and For Good will premiere almost a year later on Nov. 21, 2025.

This post will be updated with the trailers and additional plot details as more information on the Wicked movies becomes available.