Wicked: For Good (2025) Movie ft. Ariana, Cynthia, and Jonathan
The second part of Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation finally hits theaters, wrapping up Elphaba and Glinda’s journey. After the first movie made over $746 million and got 10 Oscar nominations, the pressure was on for this ending. Cynthia Erivo returns as Elphaba alongside Ariana Grande as Glinda, with Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, and Ethan Slater rounding out the cast.
This musical turns darker, dealing with themes of power, sacrifice, and friendship between two women on opposite sides. Running just under two and a half hours, it brings two fresh songs while keeping favorites from the stage show. It tries to finish what the first film started while keeping that visual magic alive.
The Story Gets More Serious
The movie starts five years after we left off. Elphaba’s hiding in the forests, still pushing for Animal rights. Glinda’s become the Wizard’s poster girl, living the high life and getting ready to marry Prince Fiyero. He’s now running the Wizard’s Guard, which complicates everything.
The plot shows how leaders use fear and lies to keep people in line. The Wizard and Madame Morrible make Elphaba look like the villain. We see how Boq becomes the Tin Man, Fiyero turns into the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion gets his backstory. Then Dorothy drops in from Kansas, tying everything back to the classic story.
The Leads Carry This Film
Cynthia Erivo brings serious power to Elphaba again. During “No Good Deed,” her voice cuts through with both anger and pain. I watched her make Elphaba’s struggle feel real – you understand why she keeps fighting even when everything’s against her. She makes you root for the so-called villain.
Ariana Grande really gets to show what she can do here. She takes Glinda from bubbly and shallow to someone dealing with actual consequences. Her version of “I’m Not That Girl (Reprise)” hit different – there’s genuine heartbreak there. The connection between Erivo and Grande keeps everything grounded. Their duet on “For Good” might be the best moment in both films.
Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero with a calmer energy this time. He’s moved past the dancing-through-life guy into someone torn between what he should do and what he wants to do. His path to becoming the Scarecrow actually means something emotionally. The rest of the cast does solid work, though they don’t get as much room to breathe.
What Really Works
The movie wins on its lead performances. When Erivo and Grande sing “For Good” together, that’s when everything clicks. Their voices match perfectly, and you feel the weight of their whole friendship in that moment. I got choked up watching how they said goodbye.
The look of this film stays top-notch. Oz still feels like a real place you could visit, with sets that pop and costumes that must’ve taken forever to make. The camera work brings in more shadows and darker colors, fitting the heavier story. The flying monkey scenes use real practical effects that look way better than pure CGI would.
The two new songs slot in naturally. Jon M. Chu knows how to film a musical number so it feels like cinema, not just a recording of a stage show. The way the film digs into propaganda and control gives it more depth than your typical musical. There’s real stuff being said about power and truth.
But There Are Real Problems
Pacing kills this movie sometimes. At over two hours, parts drag while other important scenes zip by too fast. Songs like “Thank Goodness” get trimmed down so much they lose impact. Meanwhile, we sit through stretches that don’t add much. I found myself checking the time more than once.
Splitting this into two movies really shows its weakness here. The second act of the stage show just doesn’t have the juice the first act has. No big number like “Defying Gravity” to blow the roof off. They added new content to stretch things out, but you can feel the strain.
Nessarose turning into the Wicked Witch of the East happens in maybe five minutes tops. That’s wild for something so important. Same with how Boq becomes the Tin Man and the other transformations – they’re rushed. The lighting is too dim in a lot of scenes, which is frustrating when the sets look so good but you can barely see them.
Critics Split, Audiences Love It
The film got mixed reactions from professional critics but audiences are all in. Rotten Tomatoes shows 71% from critics, way down from the first film’s 88%. But regular moviegoers gave it 97%, so clearly fans are happy. Metacritic sits at 60, which tells you critics can’t agree on this one.
Different reviewers had different takes. Some loved the emotional punch and the friendship story. Others said the two-movie decision still feels off. A few pointed out it lacks the memorable musical moments. But almost everyone agrees Erivo and Grande make it worth watching just for their work alone.
My Bottom Line
This movie has flaws but delivers emotionally where it counts. It struggles with pacing and with adapting the weaker half of the stage show. But the lead performances save it. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande give everything they’ve got to bring this story home right.
The film’s strongest when it focuses on Elphaba and Glinda – how they grew apart and what their friendship really meant. If you loved the first movie or you’re a fan of the musical, you’ll get the ending you wanted. People coming in cold might not connect as much since all the best songs were in part one.
Even with its issues, this is a beautiful, moving ending that respects where it came from. It brings real cinema to the story while keeping what fans care about. When it’s over, you’ll remember those powerful voices and that friendship. These two witches really did change each other for good.
Rating: 3.5/5
