Directed by Jon m. Chu and released on November 21, 2025, Wicked: For Good, the finale of 2024’s Wicked,” is finally here. The film, starring Ariana Grande as Glinda (the Good) and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, is an adaptation of the second act of the Broadway musical, which opened in 2003. The musical preludes L. Frank Baum’s novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” which was published in 1900.
A year ago, the first adaption of the act was released to critical and commercial success. It grossed over 500 million dollars on a 125 million dollar budget. Its sequel is already following in its footsteps, as it’s grossed almost 400 million dollars in the first 10 days.
The concluding movie opens with the infamous yellow brick road from Buam’s novel being built. Elphaba, sporting new hair, more intense makeup, a textured black dress, and a cape and hat, appears on her now infamous broomstick.
The film, like most movie sequels and second acts of musicals, was the weaker link between the two films. This can be attributed to the weaker and fewer songs and the lack of a show-stopping final number, among other small gripes. While the finale piece is beautiful and encapsulates the movie as a whole, it is nothing compared to Erivo’s powerhouse ending to the first film, as Elphaba belts “Defying Gravity” and flies into the sunset.
However, the movie is still fantastic and solid recommendation for anyone looking to see a fantastic movie musical. The set design and costumes are incredible, and every performance feels authentic, with special care for each of Oz’s witches.
While the first movie was very easily Elphaba’s story, this one is a bit more split between the two characters, so much so that it leans into being more “Glinda-fied”, as the good witch would say. Grande’s vocal abilities, along with her comedic and dramatic acting, are boosted in this film.
The film kept all of the musical’s original songs and added a solo for each witch. While these original songs aren’t by any means bad, they’re easily the least well-written part of the film, which is interesting considering Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the original musical, wrote the new songs. Glinda’s song, “Girl in the Bubble,” is better than Elphaba’s “There’s No Place Like Home,” and although both have some beautifully sung moments, they didn’t stand out. A song that stands out and was way more protrudous was “No Good Deed,” the power-belt song Elphaba sings, after a fight with Glinda and a confrontation with the Oz guards, that, without giving too much away, ends with l. The visuals, the set, and the pure rage Erivo exudes all blend perfectly to create a true out-of-body experience.
Overall, the film was a satisfying conclusion to the first movie especially stands out among other movie musicals as one of the best. Grande and Erivo’s commitment to their characters and the story they’ve told shows, and the two have bonded throughout. Whether or not you understand the hype, “Wicked” is here to stay, for good.
