The highly anticipated second installment of the "Wicked" movie franchise, titled "Wicked: For Good," is set to premiere on November 21, 2025. Following the immense success of the first "Wicked" film, which captivated audiences worldwide, earned critical acclaim, and became one of 2024's highest-grossing films by making $756 million, the sequel promises to bring a dramatic and epic conclusion to the untold story of the witches of Oz. The recently released first trailer has offered tantalizing glimpses into the evolving narrative, new songs, and the profound emotional beats awaiting viewers.

"Wicked: For Good" adapts the second act of the acclaimed Broadway musical, delving deeper into the complex and transformative relationship between Elphaba, the misunderstood green-skinned woman, and Glinda, the seemingly perfect Good Witch. The story picks up several years after the events of the first movie, where Elphaba, now infamously known as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile. She continues her clandestine fight for the freedom of Oz's silenced Animals and strives to expose the deceptions orchestrated by The Wizard.

Meanwhile, Glinda has ascended to become the glamorous symbol of Goodness throughout Oz, operating from the palace in Emerald City. Under the influential guidance of Madame Morrible, she serves as an effervescent and comforting presence, reassuring the populace of the Wizard's supposedly benevolent rule. As Glinda prepares for a spectacular Ozian wedding to Prince Fiyero, she remains deeply haunted by her fractured friendship with Elphaba. Her attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard are destined to fail, driving the two friends only further apart and setting the stage for further conflict.

The narrative of "Wicked: For Good" significantly intersects with the classic events of "The Wizard of Oz." The arrival of Dorothy Gale from Kansas, along with her dog Toto, sends ripples across Oz. This fateful arrival threatens Elphaba's sister, Nessarose (who has become the cruel governor of Munchkinland and earned the title Wicked Witch of the East), and forever transforms the lives of characters like Boq and Fiyero. The trailer notably shows Dorothy and her iconic companions—the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion—interacting directly with the Wizard, who commands them to retrieve the Wicked Witch's broom, a key plot point from the original story.

A significant departure from the stage musical, where Dorothy is typically represented only as a silhouette, is her more prominent and visible role in "Wicked: For Good." The trailer depicts her journey on the Yellow Brick Road and her pivotal meeting with the Wizard. Director Jon M. Chu has acknowledged the importance of Dorothy's inclusion, emphasizing a careful and "delicate" approach to ensure her presence enhances the central story of Elphaba and Glinda without overshadowing their character arcs. While official casting for Dorothy remains unconfirmed, actress Alisha Weir has been widely rumored for the part, though she has remained coy about these speculations.

As an angry mob, fueled by fear and misinformation, rises against the Wicked Witch, Elphaba and Glinda must confront their pasts, their choices, and the perceptions that have defined them. Their unique and powerful friendship becomes the fulcrum upon which their futures, and the fate of Oz itself, will turn. The film underscores the necessity for them to see each other with true honesty and empathy if they hope to bring about lasting change for themselves and their world. This thematic core is highlighted by the inclusion of the pivotal song "For Good," which also lends its title to the sequel.

The film sees the return of its acclaimed ensemble cast, with Cynthia Erivo reprising her powerful role as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as the effervescent Glinda. Jeff Goldblum returns as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as the manipulative Madame Morrible, Jonathan Bailey as the conflicted Prince Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. Their performances are anticipated to bring further depth and nuance to these beloved and complex characters as their journeys reach their conclusions.

The decision to split the adaptation into two parts, with both films shot simultaneously, was driven by a desire to fully explore the rich narrative, characters, and musical numbers without compromise. Director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt aimed to avoid cramming or cutting crucial story elements. Stephen Schwartz, who composed the music and lyrics for both the stage show and the films, noted the natural narrative break after the iconic song "Defying Gravity" which concluded the first film. Schwartz has also confirmed that "Wicked: For Good" will feature new original songs. The screenplay for the films was adapted by Winnie Holzman (who also wrote the book for the musical) and Dana Fox, drawing from Gregory Maguire's novel and L. Frank Baum's original Oz stories, allowing for an expanded and organic cinematic storytelling experience.

With its compelling continuation of Elphaba and Glinda's journey, the intriguing integration of "The Wizard of Oz" elements, and the promise of powerful performances and new music, "Wicked: For Good" is poised to be a major cinematic event. The film aims to provide a satisfying, emotionally resonant, and visually spectacular conclusion to the story that has enchanted millions on both stage and screen, promising to change Oz, and its iconic characters, for good when it arrives in theaters.