Wicked: For Good is pretty much the movie event of the year, and fans are already loving the concluding chapter of Elphaba and Glinda’s story.
But once you’ve seen Wicked: For Good, what’s next? Well, thankfully, there are plenty of fantasy-themed movie musicals to dig into to quench your thirst.
Watch With Us is highlighting five movies we think you should check out if you love Wicked: For Good, including the Amy Adams classic Enchanted, and the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Into the Woods.
‘Into the Woods’ (2014)
Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony Award-winning stage musical of the same name is given the cinema treatment starring Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt and James Corden. The story follows a baker (Corden) and his wife (Blunt) who are childless after being cursed by a witch (Streep). Together, they set out to break the curse and return the witch to her former beauty by seeking special ingredients. On their journey, they meet many fairytale characters, including Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Cinderella (Kendrick) and Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy).
Into the Woods is both a fitting adaptation of its source material and an entertaining musical movie in its own right, with two powerhouse performances from Streep and Blunt in particular. Some critics feel it’s one of the best musical movies of the 21st century — indeed, it’s a lavishly directed reimagining of fairytales that never fails to entertain.
‘Wonka’ (2023)
Wonka imagines the origins of the iconic Willy Wonka, played in this musical prequel by Timothée Chalamet. The young Wonka arrives in Europe penniless but with big dreams of opening a candy shop, and his whimsical personality and determined spirit make it clear that nothing will deter him. However, Wonka must contend with some cutthroat business rivals — as well as a vengeful Oompa-Loompa (Hugh Grant) — before he can establish his famous chocolate factory.
Director Paul King (Paddington 2) helms this deliciously sweet expansion of the Willy Wonka lore. The character is embodied wonderfully by Chalamet, who is able to capture the wit, spirit and eccentricities of the timeless character. The musical also features plenty of original songs and fun characters to keep you coming back for more.
‘Labyrinth’ (1986)
Jim Henson’s classic puppet-filled fantasy movie stars a young Jennifer Connelly as Sarah Williams, a teenager who wishes that her baby half-brother would be taken by the goblins from her book called The Labyrinth. But when the Goblin King Jareth (David Bowie) appears and informs her that baby Toby has really been kidnapped, she is forced to solve a labyrinth in thirteen hours or Toby will be turned into a goblin.
Similar to Dorothy in the Land of Oz, Sarah meets a number of friends in a strange, fantasy world who help her along her journey to save her brother. But the world of the labyrinth is a bit darker than that of Oz, with many creepy-looking critters courtesy of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. While Labyrinth debuted to mixed reviews, it’s gone on to become a cult classic for its imaginative world and emotional depth.
‘Enchanted’ (2007)
In the magical, animated world of Andalasia, the beautiful Giselle (Amy Adams) dreams of marrying her Prince Charming. When she meets the dashing Prince Edward (James Marsden), the two instantly fall in love and plan to be married. But Edward’s evil stepmother (Idina Menzel), determined to stay in power, sends Giselle to the real world while on her way to her wedding. Trapped in New York City, Giselle must figure out how to get back home with the help of a lawyer and single father, Robert (Patrick Dempsey)
The film that catapulted Adams into the spotlight is not only a showcase for the actor’s singular talents, Enchanted is also a winsome, wildly entertaining and well-written musical fantasy that is as funny as it is romantic. With sharp dialogue, genuinely beautiful animation and lavish musical numbers, Enchanted has remained a Millennial and Gen Z childhood staple for a reason.
‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
You can’t really talk about the best musical movies to watch after Wicked: For Good without including the very musical movie that started it all — even if it’s likely that those who have seen Jon M. Chu‘s films will have also (hopefully) seen the original The Wizard of Oz. Young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) is swept away to the Land of Oz in a dust storm, and upon landing, finds that her home has crushed and killed the Wicked Witch of the East. While on her journey to finding her way back to Kansas, she must evade the vengeful wrath of the deceased witch’s sister: the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton).
With classic musical numbers such as “Over the Rainbow,” “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” and “If I Only Had a Brain,” gorgeous Technicolor application and iconic performances, The Wizard of Oz has not only stood the test of time as one of the best movie musicals ever made, but also one of the best films, period.
Led by Senior Editor and experienced critic Jason Struss, Watch With Us’ team of writers and editors sees almost every movie and TV show from the distant past to the present to determine what’s worth your time and money. Our countless hours of multimedia consumption — combined with years of experience in the entertainment industry — help us determine the best movies and TV shows you should be streaming right now.
To be considered “the best,” these films and series can be visually engaging, intellectually stimulating or simply just fun to watch, but the one trait they must have is that they are all, in some way, entertaining. We then check which platform they are streaming on and how you can access them as a subscriber. No algorithm nonsense or paid endorsements here — our recommendations are based purely on our love and interest for the films and shows we love.
