Next Friday, November 21st, fans of the musical, magical world of Wicked will finally get to see the long anticipated second half: Wicked: For Good.
Wicked: For Good is the second installment of the movie adaption of the hit stage musical. For those who are familiar with the stage performance, this half is the section that is after intermission.
The world of Wicked has transitioned into a lot of things over the years, first a book, then a stage musical, and now a movie. We are going to look into the history of this story and how it has led up to the movie’s release.
The Back-Story: From Novel to Broadway to the Theaters
The Novel
The journey begins with Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995) by Gregory Maguire. In it, Maguire re-imagines the world of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by L. Frank Baum, exploring Oz from a new perspective.
This novel gives the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) and the Good Witch (Glinda) and sets up the plot for the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz.
Broadway
Before the creation of the musical, Wicked was supposed to be a movie meant to follow in the footsteps of the Wizard of Oz. In making this movie, producers felt it was missing something, so they took it to Stephen Schwartz who thought it would be better as a stage musical than a movie. So, in 2003 Wicked opened on Broadway, eventually becoming a hit.
It tells the story of two young women who were unlikely friends in Oz:
- Elphaba, who was originally played by Idina Menzel, is a character who is outcast because she was born with green skin. She is outspoken, believing in speaking up for what is right no matter if it is not the popular opinion.
- Galinda (later Glinda), originally played by Kristin Chenoweth, is a character who is born of a wealthy family, and is very popular. She cares more about her reputation than in doing what is right.
The musical follows their rivalry that turns into an unlikely friendship.
Even though critics were initially mixed, the show became a massive commercial success and a modern theatre phenomenon.
From Stage to Screen
Eventually, producer Marc Platt and composer Steven Schwartz decided to make this story into a movie. The movie has been in the works for years, which eventually resulted in a two-part film. The producers decided to split the movie because they really wanted people to have the full experience of the story.
The First Movie: Wicked (Released 2024)
The first movie of the Wicked franchise, titled Wicked, was realised in late 2024.
Here’s a summary of what you should know:
What it Covers
The first half of the musical adaptation covers Elphaba’s backstory and the early days of Elphaba and Glinda at Shiz University. Elphaba, not originally intending to go to Shiz, gets stuck rooming with Glinda. While they are enemies at first, they eventually become best friends. It also shows us that what people believe about the Wizard of Oz is not what it seems.
Production & Cast
- The movie was directed by Jon M. Chu.
- It starred Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda.
- This movie had a big budget, big ambition: the film marked a significant crossover of musical theatre into mainstream cinema.
The Legendary Press Tour
One of the most memorable part of the first and second film has been the press tour. Ervivo, Grande, and interviewers have sparked countless memes.
A journalist, Tracy E. Gilchrist, asked if they knew that fans had been “holding space” with the lyrics of Defying Gravity. Erivo looks shocked and admits that she “did not know that was happening.”The tour being as emotional as it is, at that moment, Ariana Grande reached out and held a single one of Cynthia Erivo’s fingers. Thousands of posts have been made about the single finger being held to comfort someone. People eventually begin “holding space” for many other things in their lives.
Other parts of the press tour include fashion standouts, with Grande and Erivo paying tribute to their characters with every outfit they wore. The press tour was also known for the amount of tears shed. With these being dream roles for both actors, it makes them very emotional when discussing the film.
The press tour because part of the story of this film by showing the emotion poured into making it.
Click here to watch some of the funny moments from the Wicked press tour.
What to Expect from Wicked: For Good
With Wicked: For Good on the horizon, here’s what we know and why you should be excited.
Release & Context
- The film is going to be released next Friday, November 21, 2025.
This film will cover the rest of the musical (what is left remaining after the intermission). It will connect the Wizard of Oz to Wicked and will answer the question “What really happened to the Wicked Witch of the West?”
The Soundtrack
Even though anyone wanting to listen to the second act’s soundtrack can listen to the original Broadway recording, some may be wondering about when they will hear the new soundtrack. The release of the Wicked: For Good soundtrack will also come out on the same day as the movie. Once released, it will be available on all streaming platforms. For a sneak peak, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Idina Menzel, and Kristen Chenoweth performed the song “For Good” at the Wicked: One Wonderful Night performance. There is still time to watch Wicked on a plethora of streaming services before the release of Wicked: For Good to truly understand what everyone is talking about.
