Hitting theaters November 21, 2025, through Universal Pictures, Wicked: For Good was the eagerly awaited sequel to the beautiful 2024 live-action remake of the Broadway musical Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu. With two 2-hour films releasedin just one year, fans were eager to see how this sequel would live up to both its predecessor film and musical.
Now, most people have seen or heard of the musical adaptation of the original 1995 book Wicked, written by Gregory Maguire, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. Most people know the second act, or second film in this case, is not as sensational as the first act. While expectations were high, it feels as though there was a little bit less pressure upon the second film.
Displayed as such, Wicked: For Good is underwhelming in the same ways the musical act was, with the songs not as favored as “Popular” or “Defying Gravity.” Yet it also adjusted some things that, well, did not really need adjusting. More obviously for Ariana Grande’s (Don’t Look Up 2021, Wicked 2024) character, Glinda, but let us get back to this in a bit.
While we watch Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo (Harriet 2019, Wicked 2024), in hiding, committing various acts to reveal the Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum (The Fly 1986, Jurassic Park 1993), as the true intentions of the animals and people of Oz, while being painted as the villain. To be precise, Wicked Witch of the West, while her newfound best friend, Glinda, became Glinda the Good (or the Good Witch of the South). This does not seem to stop the two from caring for each other, nor does it stop their unknowingly shared (at least on Glinda’s part) love interest, Prince Fiyero, played by Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton series, Jurassic World: Rebirth 2025).
As the story progresses, you watch the trio reunite and separate amid plenty of beautiful songs, though a few unnecessary additional backstory dives. The original screenplay was only two hours and forty-five minutes, which is basically the same length as the first film. Now, of course, movies always add more in-depth descriptions and additional scenes to try to drive home the impactful part of whatever the film is centered on. Still, this feels more like too many run-on sentences, too much addition to an already fleshed out and well-known story.
This becomes most apparent with Glinda’s solo “The Girl in the Bubble.” It is an unnecessary insertion into the storyline and really does not push the plot in any way, just adding to the total watch time. Viewers already know that Glinda is changing her character’s ideals. The entire point of Glinda’s arc is how she misjudged and painted someone when she knew she had influence, and how her choosing to side with the true enemy has put her best friend in mortal danger. Along with realizing that the man she is in love with is in love with her best friend. Her story reflects her actions, not so much a dive into why she has become who she is. That being said, you already saw her true feelings in the first film, as well as how she constantly tries to find and help Elphaba throughout the second film.
To bounce off of this, her sassing Madama Morrible, played by Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians 2018, Everything Everywhere All At Once 2022), absolutely does not work in the way it seemed it was supposed to. How does a witch, powerful enough to control the weather, become the Wizard’s right-hand woman, and have Oz eating out of the palm of her hand, try to talk her way out due to a previous student who does not even have magic? How is she just so intimidated by Glinda spitting her own words back in her face? It all feels like a rushed part that the director deemed unnecessary when creating the second film, and it really ruins a more satisfying ending for that horrible woman.
Not to forget the blatant cash grab of the hopeful ending in the hopes of opening a possible third film for this adaptation. Glinda knows that Elphaba is alive and escaped with Fiyero, now the Scarecrow. This is another addition to the wholly unnecessary parts of this film, let alone a seriously impactful part of Glinda’s story, which has already been warped.
Grieving someone who came into your life and changed it so drastically, and not being able to reconcile after a falling out, truly is an essential part of Glinda’s journey. Furthermore, it helps her take on her role as Glinda the Good, trying to right the wrongs others have done. To give her the knowledge that they are alive gives hope, yes, but takes away Glinda’s story arc and ultimately can leave room for a third movie that Jon M. Chu could basically make up to however he likes, since the original book ends there.
Ultimately, most knew the second film would not be as popular or favored as the first, since all the main musical hits were in act one. Yet that did not stop the director from adding unnecessary scenes and warping things that should not have been, nor were they needed. For this, Cryptic Rock gives Wicked: For Good a 3 out of five stars.
){kind=link}
No comment