The gap between the release of the movie musicals Wicked: Part I and Wicked: For Good feels like the longest intermission ever. Eager fans had to wait a year before seeing the story’s conclusion, which premieres November 21.
The creative team behind Wicked claims to have tried to condense the plot down to just one film, but an overabundance of material led to the decision to split it into two. Financial considerations also likely came into play as two films will make more money than one.
As fans celebrate Wicked: For Good’s release week, let’s get you up to speed on everything you need to know, including projected box-office figures.
Who’s in the movie?
Since Part I and For Good were shot back-to-back, many actors are reprising their roles.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead the way as former besties Elphaba and Glinda. “Sexiest Man Alive” Jonathan Bailey smolders as Prince Fiyero. Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, and Ethan Slater all return as the Wizard, Madame Morrible, Nessarose, and Boq, respectively.
There are also some new faces in the sequel’s cast.
Young Glinda is played by 8-year-old Scarlett Spears. Colman Domingo lends his voice to the Cowardly Lion. And Bethany Weaver rocks the iconic blue gingham dress as Dorothy.
Are there new songs?
Expanding the musical into two movies gave composer Stephen Schwartz the opportunity to write new music.
Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) each have solos that were not featured in the original stage production. Early on in the film, Erivo belts out “No Place Like Home.” Much later on, Grande’s vocal chops are on full display in “The Girl in the Bubble.” Both songs serve to flesh out the characters’ story arcs.
Several other songs, such as “Wonderful,” have been expanded.
Do you need to see the original Wicked?
The blunt answer is yes. Wicked: Part I is the first half of the stage musical. It would be hard to follow if you have never seen the beginning of the story.
Plus, the first installment received 10 Academy Award nominations and two Oscar trophies—for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. (Director Jon M. Chu was notably snubbed in the Best Director category.)
If you need to get up to speed quickly, YouTube has plenty of recaps.
What are critics saying?
While award season is not yet upon us, critics have given the film mixed reviews leaning toward the positive.
As of this writing, the film had a Tomatometer score of 72% and a Popcornmeter score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri liked the second film better than the first. He argued that the conclusion “was more somber, more focused, more human than the first film. And it brings the Wicked cycle to a surprisingly satisfying conclusion, at least for now.”
The BBC’s Caryn James agreed wholeheartedly. “This latest installment is more captivating than the last and enjoyable to watch throughout.”
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter was particularly moved by Grande’s performance of the new song. “Grande floods it with so much feeling that it humanizes and enriches the character and, by extension, the whole movie,” he mused.
Not everyone was so enthusiastic.
William Bibbiani from TheWrap called it “quite bad” because of the plot holes failing to explain its Wizard of Oz origins. The AP’s Jake Coyle said the film just “doesn’t delight.”
Even though both Bibbiani and Coyle did not enjoy the film as a whole, they agreed that the actors gave amazing performances.
What are the box-office predictions?
Expectations are high for Wicked: For Good. The first film grossed more than $758 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Its debut weekend alone brought in more than $112 million and set the record for the best opening ever for a movie based on a Broadway musical.
Deadline predicts that the global opening weekend for Wicked: For Good will exceed its predecessor and bring in around $200 million.
Comcast-owned Universal Pictures, which is releasing the film, is projecting a more conservative estimate of $125 million, Variety reports, adding that the movie’s budget was $150 million.
The long interlude has allowed audiences to build up anticipation for the sequel. Time will tell whether they follow the yellow brick road back to movie theaters this holiday season.
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