The conclusion ofWicked: Part 1sets the stage for an even more thrilling second chapter, and fans can’t wait to dive into the highly anticipated sequel. While winter may be behind us, audiences are already looking ahead to the holiday season, ready to embrace the magic ofWicked: Part 2from the comfort of their sofas. Mark your calendars —bewitchment begins on November 21, 2025, adding to the lineup of excitingmovies coming out in 2025.
HighlightsWicked: For Good set to premiere on November 21, 2025.Cynthia Erivo delivers a powerful performance as Elphaba.Ariana Grande receives an Oscar nomination for her role as Glinda.Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero undergoes a dramatic transformation.Director Jon M. Chu emphasizes deeper consequences in the sequel.
According to a rarely transparent Universal downstream revenues report (perVariety), the cinematic adaptation of the Broadway soar grossed $26 million in its first day alone and an eye-popping $70 million in its first week of release in both the United States and Canada.
The acclaimed musical was already a monster hit in the early aughts, but director Jon M. Chu created a mega-budget masterpiece that instantly smashed box office records, amassing a total of $722,747,200 worldwide (perBox Office Mojo).
Splitting the adaptation into two parts means double the fun. The decision served fans well and was unavoidable for the director. “As we prepared this production over the last year, it became increasingly clear that it would be impossible to wrestle the story of WICKED into a single film without doing some real damage to it,” Chu shared in a statement onXin April 2022.
With the final chapter fast approaching, anticipation is at an all-time high. Here’s everything you need to know before Wicked: For Good takes center stage.
Table of ContentsWho Plays Who In Wicked: For GoodCynthia Erivo as ElphabaAriana Grande as GlindaJonathan Bailey as Fiyero TigelaarJeff Goldblum as The Wizard of OzMichelle Yeoh as Madame MorribleSupporting CastEthan Slater as BoqMarissa Bode as Nessarose ThroppBowen Yang as PfanneeWill Dorothy Gale Be in Wicked: For Good?The Sequel Takes a Darker, Deeper Turn — Here’s What to Expect
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Who Plays Who In Wicked: For Good
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba
Image credits:Wicked Movie
In Wicked: For Good, fans will witness the darkest side of Erivo’s Elphaba yet. While the first part explored her complex, frenemy-like bond with Grande’s Glinda, culminating in her soaring moment of self-acceptance, the sequel takes her transformation even further. This time, Elphaba steps fully into the legend of the Wicked Witch, embracing the power — and the peril — that comes with it.
The Grammy, Emmy, and Tony-winning Erivo delivers a show-stopping performance that redefines the musical in every sense. Erivo’s Elphaba did not just defy gravity in Wicked Part 1. It passed our highest expectations with vocals and visuals.
“She’s just a powerhouse, doing every single one of those stunts and singing live,” cinematographer Alice Brooks praised the multitalented actress and singer (perDeadline). “She’s on this big crazy ride around our sound stage, yet she’s singing live and in character. I don’t know how she did it.”
“This is Elphaba the Wicked Witch. How she moves, how she battles, figuring out the darker side of her. It’s going to be interesting to see what the shift is,” Erivo teased in the special features of Wicked’s homevideo release.
Ariana Grande as Glinda
Ariana Grande genuinely brings Glinda to life in Chu’s adaptation, and she continues to shine in the upcoming sequel.
Grande reacted tearfully to landing the role of Glinda the Good. “I don’t know what to say,” she sobbed in her viral reaction onTikTok. “Oh my God. I love her so much. I’m going to take such good care of her.”
She loved Glinda so much that she became the character herself, gifting fans an iconic princessy performance that earned her a coveted Oscar nomination for the first time in her career (perDeadline).
Wicked: For Good is expected to pick up right where the first part left off. Thus, the upcoming sequel will, without much doubt, start with Elphaba earning the infamous Wicked Witch of the West nickname and Glinda earning her own moniker, Glinda the Good Witch.
Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar
The seemingly carefree and charming Prince had no trouble charming anyone on campus. First, he gets engaged, but then he reveals unexpected emotions for Elphaba as he helps her escape, only to find himself captured in the process.
Image credits:@jonathanbaileystan
Caught in a love triangle and longing for Fiyero, Elphaba pours her emotions into “I’m Not That Girl.” But when she casts a spell to save him after his selfless sacrifice, it backfires in a shocking twist.
Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard of Oz
Image credits:Universal Pictures
Wicked: For Good will also see the pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum portraying the famous Wizard of Oz — a refreshingly new role compared to his other works in Hollywood hits like Jurassic Park (1993), Independence Day (1996), and The Fly (1986).
Strangely enough, Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard might have subtle parallels to a Trump-like figure — whether intentional or not. Adding to the curiosity, Wicked: Part 1 premiered just 18 days after Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election
Director Jon M. Chu fueled this theory during an episode ofIndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, joking, “A charismatic leader who gaslights a community that this woman is wicked just because she’s standing up for a marginalized group of people in society — how could that be [political]?”
Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
A regal lady at her best and a villain at her worst, Morrible’s character might be worth admiring than you might think. “I loved how Jon put it, was: ‘She’s not the villain. We don’t want you to watch Madame Morrible and think, ah, easy, villain,’” Yeoh shared withNBC Insider.
“She’s an educator, but she also has ambitions and dreams, and how it leads you sometimes up the right path, and sometimes it leads you astray. As an actor I was given such a nice platform to maneuver around.”
Supporting Cast
Ethan Slater as Boq
Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants Ethan Slater is the rightful actor for Wicked’s altruistic Munchkin student, Boq. The Tony Award nominee, who has a special type ofromance with Grande, continues his exceptional performance as Boq in the second half of the hit musical film… but with a plot twist.
Spoiler alert:Boq has one of the most tragic character stories in Wicked, one of one-sided love, feelings of inadequacy, and resentment. In a desperate attempt to save Boq from Nessarose’s love spell, Elphaba ends up transforming him into the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.
However, Chu’s Wicked injects more tragedy into the original musical. In the film, Boq seems to genuinely like Nessa (as a friend), unlike in the Broadway production, where he seems to use her as a mere pawn.
Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
Marissa Bode, who is notably the first wheelchair user and actress to portray Wicked Nessarose, reveals toTeen Voguethat her character will get some refreshing changes in the upcoming sequel. “There will be movie magic and just magic in general, but just not in the way that I think a lot of people think it might be. There have been changes that I think are great in terms of representation in a healthy way,” the 24-year-old teased. “But I don’t think I can say more than that.”
Bowen Yang as Pfannee
Wicked: For Good’s star-studded cast also features The Saturday Night Live performer and comedian Bowen Yang, who portrays Glinda’s supportive friend on Campus, Pfannee. The nearly cast member of Barbie finally compensates for absence.
Yang, 34, puts his own spin on Pfannee, originally a female in the books and the musical. Chu’s adaptation transforms Pfannee into a flamboyant (“girl’s girl,” if you will) male who showers his friend with a little too many compliments.
Will Dorothy Gale Be in Wicked: For Good?
Image credits:Warner Bros. Entertainment
Fans are in for major story twists in the Wicked’s finale. The main antagonists pretty much remain unchanged — the legendary Wizard of Oz and the influential Madame Morrible continue their allyship and carry out their wicked plans. Meanwhile, the drama between Boq and Nessarose intensifies as they make horribly bad decisions that shape their destinies.
Part two sees Glinda the Good becoming as good as she possibly can while her rebellious friend earns the infamous moniker Wicked Witch of the West.
What about Dorothy Gale? Director Chu gives us the scoop: “In the show, Dorothy is around. They have to intersect, and you can only tease it so much. I won’t say whether she’s a character, necessarily, in movie two,” he shared withVariety.
“There’s a part of me that wants everyone’s Dorothy to be the whatever Dorothy they want. And yet, there is interaction and some crossover. So I’ll leave that up to ‘Part Two.’”
The Sequel Takes a Darker, Deeper Turn — Here’s What to Expect
Image credits:@cynthiaerivo
In a word, brilliance!
“Choices are difficult to make, but when you do make those choices, sometimes the result isn’t what you expect it to be. It can be lonely, it can be hard.”
Erivo confirmed the director’s vision toVariety: “We’re diving deeper into the consequences of the characters’ choices. The story is richer, and the stakes are higher. It’s not just a continuation; it’s a transformation.”
She also shared with fans an eye-opening perspective to keep in mind before watching Wicked: For Good: “Elphaba isn’t wicked. None of the characters are purely good or bad. They’re flawed, complex, and human.”
Originally titled Wicked Part 2, the film was later renamed Wicked: For Good—a nod to the iconic duet between Glinda and Elphaba, in which they reflect on how their complicated journey shaped them forever. Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda, called the change fitting, tellingVariety, “It’s just the perfect title because this project really has changed us for good.”
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