Universal‘Defying Gravity’ had its moment, but now all attention has turned to Wicked: For Good. Officially rebranded from Part 2, details are finally coming in for the new movie thick and fast.
If it felt like a lifetime waiting to watch Wicked Part 1, that’s because it was. The new movie was delayed numerous times in the wake of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, but finally hit theaters last November.
The marketing campaign carried on for an age, too. We saw poster controversy, fangirling in interviews, and a lot of crying… so if you enjoyed that, we’re likely to experience the musical theater hysteria all over again this year.
Now, the first trailer for the second installment is here to show us what Wicked: For Good will look like – but how long do we have to wait for it?
Wicked: For Good release date
Wicked: For Good will be released on November 21, 2025. Obviously, that’s a long time to wait, but it’s actually been moved forward by a week already.
Universal PicturesAs you’ll know, that’s almost a year to the day since Part 1 dropped, and it feels like an incredibly long wait.
While there hasn’t been a specific reason for a whole year between the two films (Thanksgiving is a competitive cinema slot), it’s likely the second half was affected by the troubles of the first.
If you weren’t aware, there’s been plenty of shifting about when it comes to release dates. The first movie was set for release on December 22, 2021, which then changed to December 2024. Obviously, that got pushed forward a month, but it’s still been moved twice.
Things appear to be on track, so let’s hope there isn’t another delay. You can check out the film’s first poster below:
UniversalHas Wicked: For Good already been filmed?
Yes! Both Part 1 and Part 2 of Wicked were filmed simultaneously.
Another big advantage for Part 2 is it’s already in the can – now, it’s all a question of fine-tuning.
Principal photography began in December 2022, halting in July 2023 in line with the strikes. It finally wrapped up in January 2024.
The entire movie was shot in England, between Sky Studios Elstree, Borehamwood and Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire.
Wicked Part 2 cast
All of our main cast will be returning for Part 2, so expect more from Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh.
Universal PicturesThe full cast list looks like:
- Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp
- Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland
- Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
- Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard
- Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar
- Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman
- Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
- Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond
- Bowen Yang as Pfannee
- Bronwyn James as ShenShen
It goes without saying that Chu is still behind the camera, so no changes there.
Is Dorothy in the movie?
Yes. We’ve already seen her appearance teased, with Chu promising her role is going to be “bigger” in Wicked: For Good than we’d expect.
Universal Pictures“I won’t talk too much about what we show or don’t show in movie 2,” he explained. “But in movie 1, it was important to let Dorothy be how you want her to be. I didn’t want to step on your images of whatever version of Dorothy you wanted her to be.”
“But [Dorothy’s] presence is important, because that plays a significant role in what will happen and how they intersect,” he continued. “That was sort of how we played with it. But you’ll have to see movie 2 to know how far we go with her.”
There’s a big question mark, however. Her presence is known (blink and you’ll miss her in Wicked Part 1’s opening sequence), but the Wizard of Oz heroine has so far remained faceless. Alisha Weir is the rumored favorite to take up the role.
What will happen in Wicked: For Good?
Part 2 is expected to pick up at the beginning of the musical’s second act, which sees Elphaba rebranded in Oz as “The Wicked Witch of the West.” We’ll see more about her relationship with Fiyero, alongside the introduction of Dorothy.
Universal PicturesWe don’t want to spoil too much, but as Part 1 is a near-perfect adaptation of the stage show, here’s roughly what we can expect.
Obviously, we’re going to delve deeper into Elphaba’s war against corruption in Oz, and there’s going to be serious consequences. It’s this that officially brands her as the Wicked Witch of the West – remember we’ve already seen Madame Morrible effectively spreading hate against her.
“It gets messy,” Chu said to Variety in January. “I think if [audience members] are following the emotions of this movie, they’ll walk with us.”
He added to Entertainment Weekly: “If Part 1 is about choices, Part 2 is about consequences. Choices are difficult to make, but when you do make those choices, sometimes the result isn’t what you expect it to be,” he added in November 2024. “It can be lonely, it can be hard.”
Still, Chu promised that there will be “lots of lightness. “There’s a lot of fun parts,” he said. “We’ve not forgotten about that, but there’s a matureness and a nuance to it that we earn from the first movie.”
We’re also going to see more about the Wicked Witch of the East, but that’s enough without giving too much away – if you can’t wait, get tickets to the musical.
What songs will be in Wicked: For Good?
In Act 2 of the stage musical, ‘Thank Goodness,’ ‘The Wicked Witch of the East,’ and ‘As Long As You’re Mine’ lead the score. We’ve also got two brand new songs featured – one for Glinda, and one for Elphaba.
UniversalHere are all the songs we can expect to see next time around:
- ‘Thank Goodness’
- ‘The Wicked Witch Of The East’
- ‘Wonderful’
- ‘I’m Not That Girl (reprise)’
- ‘As Long As You’re Mine’
- ‘No Good Deed’
- ‘March Of The Witch Hunters’
- ‘For Good’
- ‘Finale’
“The storytelling required it, and therefore they were created,” Schwartz told The Messenger in December 2024 about the new song. “The intention was that they were organic and not imposed on the movie.”
Star Cynthia Erivo said on Variety‘s Awards Circuit podcast, “I don’t know if you’re ready for it. I feel like the song is very, very special. I have a feeling that even the title will move you.”
Wicked: For Good trailer
The first full trailer dropped on June 4, 2025, which you can catch up with below:
Wicked: For Good is out worldwide on November 21, 2025. In the meantime, catch up with upcoming Disney releases, new movies streaming this month, and the best movies of the year so far.
