Everything You Need to Know About ‘Wicked: For Good’

For Good will pick up where the first film left off—and I admit, I still think about that cliffhanger. In the final moments, Elphaba narrowly escapes the Wizard and Madame Morrible by flying away on an enchanted broomstick. So one can't help but wonder: What's next for Elphaba? And how will this impact her relationship with Glinda?

Fortunately, For Good will address both of those questions. In the sequel, Elphaba is labeled the "Wicked Witch of the West" after challenging the (not so) Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Glinda is branded as "Glinda the Good Witch," meant to defend and protect the people of Oz against Elphaba. As a result, both witches must grapple with their new identities and make important decisions that could change their relationship forever. `

Dynamic duo Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are reprising their roles as Glinda and Elphaba, respectively. But they're not the only familiar faces fans will see. Here's the full list of the confirmed main cast:

• Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland
• Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp
• Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar
• Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
• Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman
• Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
• Bowen Yang as Pfannee

Well, according to Chu, it's very likely. Fans only caught a glimpse of the iconic character in a brief cameo in part one, but while chatting with ScreenRant about her appearance, Chu seemed to hint that she'll have a more prominent role in For Good. He said, “[It's] important because [it] plays a significant role in what will happen...But you’ll have to see movie two to know how far we go with her.”

While speaking with Variety, Chu also said, “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. 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.”

Given how the first film is filled with catchy tunes, I've already got high expectations for the sequel's soundtrack. Here's a list of anticipated songs for Wicked: For Good:

• “No One Mourns the Wicked” (Reprise) by Ozians
• “Thank Goodness” by Glinda, Madame Morrible and Citizens of Oz
• “The Wicked Witch of the East” by Elphaba, Nessarose and Boq
• “Wonderful” by The Wizard and Elphaba
• “I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)” by Glinda
• “As Long As You’re Mine” by Ephaba and Fieryo
• “No Good Deed” by Elphaba
• “March of the Witch Hunters” by Boq and Ozians
• “For Good” by Glinda and Elphaba
• Finale Song by Glinda, Elphaba and Ozians

FYI, in an interview with Capital FM UK, Goldblum confirmed that Stephen Schwartz wrote a few new songs for Wicked: For Good. He said, "In this movie, in Act II, there's a couple of new songs coming that Stephen Schwartz has written."

Erivo also told Variety, "I collaborated on one of the new songs, and it’s so special to me. When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready—it’s a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is. 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."

Fun fact: Chu and his team shot both movies together, over the course of about five months. He told The Hollywood Reporter, "We shot both movies over 160 days and got stopped 10 days before finishing [because of the strike] our “Defying Gravity” and flying days. Cynthia had to train and gain—for a year—all the skill set, stunt-wise, to be able to fly and sing at the same time. Then, right when we’re about to shoot it, we stopped for six months."

Fortunately, the team completed the remaining 10 days of production at the beginning of 2024. And according to The Los Angeles Times, Chu is currently finalizing the edits for the sequel. He said, “Last year, I cut both so that I could finish movie one to understand it. I let it go and, just recently, opened it up again.”

He also told Gay Times in January, "I cannot say too much. Other than…I’ve seen both movies back-to-back already, and I love it. I love it so much."

While Wicked Part 1 adapts the first act of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's 2003 stage musical, which depicts the budding friendship between Glinda and her classmate, Elphaba, before they become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West, respectively. The second film, For Good, is based on Act Two of the musical, where their friendship is put to the ultimate test as they accept their fates.

According to Erivo, part two takes a darker turn as Elphaba transforms into the Wicked Witch. On Good Morning America, she teased, “They have to go separate ways. It becomes a little darker for them, a little tougher for them. But I think it’s really beautiful the journeys that they have to go on, whether or not they come back together, I don’t know. You have to see.”

Well, for one, the sequel will tackle just the second half of the musical story, since the film adaptation is broken into two parts. Based on the first installment, it's likely this film will focus on the character development of both Elphaba and Glinda while offering more insight into the political landscape of Oz. I imagine it will also lean more into themes of identity, good vs. evil, prejudice, oppression and acceptance, similar to the original musical.

Fans will recognize a few of the songs from the original play, like “As Long As You’re Mine,” “No Good Deed” and “For Good.” However, there will also be a few new additions to further develop the story.