The sequel to ‘Wicked‘ will now be titled ‘Wicked: For Good’.
The upcoming musical movie was initially announced as ‘Wicked: Part Two’, but Universal Pictures has now revealed it has changed the title while confirming the flick will hit cinemas on 21 November, 2025. This strategic release date positions the film for the competitive holiday season box office.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo – who play Glinda and Elphaba in ‘Wicked’ – took to Instagram to share the new title, reposting a clip from the official ‘Wicked’ account. The social media announcement quickly garnered millions of views, demonstrating the massive fan anticipation for the sequel.
“You will be changed. ‘Wicked: For Good’, only in theaters November 21, 2025,” the caption read. The announcement has already generated substantial buzz among theater enthusiasts and movie fans alike.
‘Wicked’ – which was directed by Jon M. Chu and also stars Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Peter Dinklage and Ethan Slater – follows Elphaba and Glinda as they try to find their place at Shiz University, only for their friendship to be put in jeopardy once the Wizard of Oz forces the pair’s paths to diverge. The first film adaptation brings together an ensemble of award-winning talent rarely seen in musical cinema.
‘Wicked: For Good’ will pick up after Elphaba rejects the Wizard of Oz’s pleas and sings the iconic number ‘Defying Gravity’, which Erivo, 37, said was a “huge responsibility”. The scene is considered one of musical theater’s most challenging performance pieces.
Speaking to ‘Maria’ star Angelina Jolie for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Erivo said: “There was this huge responsibility, because it’s such a well-known song. And people know it; people love it. I really wanted to mean it. The physical work of it was hard, because I’m in a harness: I’m flying and I’m singing at the same time – so many things are happening. That was new for me, to figure out how my body, my brain, my voice, would all come together to work as one. I felt really proud of being able to figure that physical, practical side of it.”
The actress added she channeled her previous frustrations into her performance in an effort to give the song more weight. Her commitment to authenticity has already generated early awards season buzz.
She explained: “I think in order to get to a point where I could rule the words, I really thought of all the journey of getting to that moment. Not just in the making of this particular project, but the journey I’ve taken to get here: being at drama school at 20, putting myself through, finishing at 23, not getting jobs and not really being seen and not really feeling accepted – feeling very odd, very different. And having to figure out how to make my own way through this, because this business is hard, and this business is very hard when you’re a Black girl who’s singing.”
Meanwhile, Grande revealed she had “worked hard” with a vocal coach to ensure she could give Glinda an “operatic” singing style. The pop star’s dedication to mastering classical technique has impressed industry veterans.
The 31-year-old popstar said: “I worked really hard with a vocal coach and an acting coach to get ready, because Glinda’s vocal track is very different than what I usually sing. It’s very operatic and very classical sort of coloratura, which is different from doing a falsetto and whistle tones. It’s a totally different placement in the voice. I wanted to sound authentic in singing opera, and I started two months before my first audition.”
The original Broadway production of ‘Wicked’ has grossed over $1.4 billion since its debut in 2003, making it one of the most successful musicals of all time. The film adaptations represent one of Universal’s most ambitious musical projects, with a combined budget reportedly exceeding $200 million for both parts.
Industry experts predict the two-part film adaptation could potentially surpass traditional musical box office records, given the combination of star power, beloved source material, and the current renaissance of movie musicals in Hollywood.
