Wicked: For Good (2025) Movie Review NO SPOILERS: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

NBC Universal. Marc Platt Productions.

Plot

Picking up exactly after Wicked, Elphaba is now “Public Enemy Number One,” while Glinda has been thrust into the spotlight as the face of the Wizard’s regime.

We see the Wizard’s true colors as he turns the animal population into slave labor to build the Yellow Brick Road.

Stephen Schwartz added several original numbers, most notably “No Place Like Home,” an Elphaba solo where she urges the animals to stay and fight, and “Girl in the Bubble,” a Glinda ballad about her internal struggle with the Wizard’s propaganda. What a GREAT SONG. It felt like something from the original Wicked story from decades ago.

The film finally bridges the gap to the 1939 Wizard of Oz, showing Dorothy’s arrival through the eyes of the witches and providing an origin story for the Scarecrow and Tin Man that is much more tragic than the original film.

The Review

• The Performance of a Lifetime: In 2026, the consensus is that Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande redefined these roles. Erivo’s “No Good Deed” is cited as a masterclass in anger-fueled showmanship, while Grande’s transformation from a “bubble-dwelling influencer” to a heartbroken leader is the film’s emotional core. When I listen to their voices, I WISH that I were more of a music lover.
• Cinematic Scope: Director Jon M. Chu used the split to give characters like Nessarose (Marissa Bode) more screen time, making her descent into the “Wicked Witch of the East” feel earned rather than rushed. And it DID NOT FEEL RUSHED. It felt like what happened to her was well-deserved.
• The Song “For Good”: This remains the heart of the franchise. In the 2025 film, the arrangement was updated with a “subtle harmony shift” that symbolizes the two women literally trading places in the social hierarchy of Oz.
• A Padded Slog? A common critique is that at 138 minutes, the movie feels a bit overextended compared to the 55-minute second act of the stage show. Personally, I DID NOT FEEL THE SLOG.
• CGI vs. Practical: While Glinda’s house and the flower fields were stunning, some of the wider shots on the Yellow Brick Road were criticized for looking a bit too much like “CGI land.” HOWEVER, the first Wicked felt more CGI and cartoonish to me.

Summary

Wicked: For Good is a haunting meditation on Propaganda and the Burden of Truth, arguing that “good” and “wicked” are often just labels applied by those in power, ESPECIALLY in POLITICS. By showing how the Wizard uses fear to control the masses, the film serves as a timely allegory for the dangers of political manipulation. Ultimately, the song “For Good” reinforces that we are the sum of the people we’ve loved and lost — and that even if the world sees you as a monster, the truth of your character is safe in the hearts of those who truly knew you.

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