Earlier this holiday season, the live action movie, “Wicked: For Good,” was released in theatres, breaking its own box office record for the biggest opening of a Broadway musical adaptation. Having seen both the original musical “Wicked” and movie “The Wizard of Oz,” and now both parts one and two of the movie, “Wicked: Part I” and “Wicked: For Good,” it is clear that “Wicked: For Good” wonderfully depicts an authentic friendship that can make the audience laugh, but also cry, all in one sitting.
Without giving any spoilers, “Wicked” – originally a book that later premiered on Broadway in 2003 – tells the backstory to “The Wizard of Oz,” from the Wicked Witch of the West’s side of the story. “Wicked” begins before Dorthy ever arrives in Oz, when Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) played by Cynthia Erivo, and Glinda (the Good Witch), played by Ariana Grande, are at boarding school together. The story explores Elphaba’s childhood and how misunderstandings altered her reputation. It also gives the background on the story of Glinda, Nessa Rose who is the Wicked Witch of the East, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man. Hidden motivations and events that framed “The Wizard of Oz” are revealed to the audience.
For the movie adaptation, the musical was broken into two parts – the first half of the musical before intermission and then the second half – released as two separate movies, one year apart. “Wicked: Part I,” which was released in November of 2024, goes through Elphaba’s childhood and her time at boarding school and ends when she arrives in Oz and meets the Wizard. The post-intermission which came out in November 2025, connects directly to the moments leading up to “The Wizard of Oz,” including Elphaba’s supposed death and Glinda’s rise as the Good Witch.
When watching, it is hard not to feel an emotional connection to both Elphaba and Glinda. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and the casts’ performances allowed for the audience to truly empathize with the characters. In addition, the way the movie was written and directed allowed the audience to think more deeply about your own perceptions and relationships.
One critique of the production to note is that, with a year between the release of the first and second movie, some of the flow and connectedness felt lost. Another consideration is that the movies’ runtimes were long (“Wicked: Part I” is 2:45 and “Wicked: For Good” is 2:17). Therefore, while movies are more accessible to the general public, watching both parts of the movie would take considerably more time than the musical production.
Overall, however, both parts of the movie brought the full story to life. Both Erivo and Grande were amazing, the music was incredible, and the visuals were stunning. Most of all, the movie gets you thinking about bigger ideas like power and perceptions of good and evil, and the important things, like the people who make a difference in your life.
This film is recommended for audiences who have seen the play, or the first movie of “Wicked: Part I, The Wizard of Oz,” or anyone interested in backstories to well-known productions. “Wicked: For Good” is now available to stream on Youtube TV, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and more.
