“Wicked: For Good,” the follow-up to last year’s “Wicked,” was released on Nov. 20, 2025.
“Wicked: For Good” continues the story of the last film, and follows Elphaba and Glinda as their paths intertwine once again, causing them to settle into their roles as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. The film serves as an adaptation of the second act of the Broadway musical.
While the film offers some wonderful sequences and an interesting story, it is ultimately a step down from the first film.
“Wicked: For Good” features the same cast as the first film, and Cynthia Erivo continues her stellar portrayal of Elphaba. However, the standout is Ariana Grande as Glinda. After her scene-stealing performance in “Part 1,” Grande takes the darker tone of the sequel to heart and imbues Glinda the Good with a sense of regret and loss that is captivating to watch.
While “Wicked: For Good” doesn’t boast the same number of iconic songs as the first film, it does have a couple good musical numbers, the standouts being “No Good Deed” and “For Good.” While the first is a power ballad that allows Erivo to showcase her singing talent, the second is arguably one of the most famous songs from the musical. Both numbers are fantastic.
However, while “Wicked: For Good” has great moments, it lacks the fun that made the first film beloved. The story is bleaker, and the new songs written for the movie don’t stick out as much as the musicals’ big hits.
Since “Wicked: For Good” is an adaptation of the musical’s second act, a lot of its issues come from the consensus that the second act of “Wicked” is much weaker than the first, with many critics citing the off-kilter pacing as a flaw of the film.
“It’s not all bad,” critic Natasha Alvar writes. “But I was expecting great and I got something that is simply… alright? It’s not quite defying gravity, a slight levitation feels more accurate when it comes to ‘Wicked: For Good.’”
Despite the lukewarm reviews, “Wicked: For Good” did very well at the weekend box office, earning $150 million domestically, making it the second-best opening for a film this year, behind “A Minecraft Movie.”
Overall, “Wicked: For Good” is a flawed but enjoyable time at the movies, and worth a watch for fans of the first film. However, those expecting an installment that tops the first may come out disappointed.
For more details about “Wicked: For Good” and other upcoming movies visit IMDb.
Author: Conner Dean
Photo: Courtesy of The Butler Collegian
Editor: Briar Adams
eic@suunews.net
