During November of last year, an expansion to the wizarding universe of Oz was born. Wicked held the movie spotlight for months, being a massive hit in many different countries. The film even won two Academy Awards at the Oscars, for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. While both parts of the film were finished in January 2024, Wicked left off on a cliffhanger following Elphaba’s transformation, leaving viewers in suspense.
Christian Gorgy ’26 said, “Wicked is a unique musical surrounded by chaos, laughter and the prevailing theme of good vs. evil. While the play itself proved engaging to an extent through the hardships of Elphaba and Glinda, three hours for the musical to play and end with a ‘to be continued’ ruined the experience. Only those with a true interest will sit and watch another 3 hours of the play.”
This fall, fans eagerly awaited Wicked: For Good, the 2025 sequel to Wicked, which came out on Nov. 21. Expectations for the movie were extremely high. While fans had some hints on the plot, most of the plot was generally unknown, keeping the suspense alive.
The weekend the movie came out, almost 2 million more people watched it compared to its predecessor in 2024. Among the moviegoers was Loyola junior Ethan Hanna ’27, who saw the movie with friends. Ethan Hanna ’27 said, “I [Wicked: For Good] was a solid sequel to the original movie, tying back seamlessly to the first film.”
The film starts with an overview of the Emerald City, the stage set by part one. At this point, Elphaba has turned against the Wizard, unlike “Glinda the Good,” who is working with the Wizard now. Their friendship remains, but their goals are polar, pushing them farther apart each day. This friendship remains a constant theme throughout the movie, eventually being incorporated into the old 1939 plot.
The movie goes into depth and explains Elphaba’s side of the story. Protagonists become antagonists, and characters once thought to be good are revealed to have an evil side. Director Jon M. Chu kept every fan on their toes until the very end.
Following its predecessor, Wicked: For Good has very well lived up to and even exceeded the expectations fans held, some might say. It is now a leading film in the movie world, even changing the perspective of some on the wizarding world of Oz. A spectacular feature, it will prove to be a strong presence to last in the film universe.
