Wicked: For Good (2025) Film Review: Lush spectacle balanced with heartfelt character intimacy

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Wicked: For Good (2025) is the second of a two-part feature film adaptation of the 2003 stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman.

The musical was loosely based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, which in itself is a reimagining of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation.

Set in the Land of Oz, the movie explores the relationship between Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) as they embrace their new identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Wicked (2024) and its follow-up were both directed by Jon M. Chu (In the Heights, 2021; Crazy Rich Asians, 2018), with the decision made early on to split the story into two parts to avoid omitting plot points and further develop the characters.

Ariana Grande (left) and Cynthia Erivo (right) both return for this magical, yet darker, sequel as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West

This highly anticipated sequel to one of last year's biggest hits has been marketed as the ultimate Christmas blockbuster, with plenty of advertising and product tie-ins saturating the commercial landscape for months.

For those who are less familiar with the stage musical, it is recommended that one re-watches the first film before seeing this one in cinemas, to refresh the memory on the characters and plot events, as this follow-up picks up directly where the first left off.

This movie is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser of epic, theatrical proportions, which does not quite reach the soaring heights of its predecessor, but serves as a solid, worthy conclusion to this fantastical tale of an endearing female friendship.

The film certainly lives up to its blockbuster hype with the big screen allure of an incredibly impressive production design, smoothly exhibited in both parts. The visual aesthetic of Oz takes on a radically different look from what most film fans are familiar with from the 1939 adaptation, opting for a unique art deco/steampunk vibe with its lavish sets.

From the beautiful costumes, ambitious special effects, to the high production value, it is definitely worth seeing in the cinema just for the film's spectacular scale alone. Jon M. Chu clearly has a knack for translating theatrics to the cinematic format, often utilising dynamic camera movement during grand musical set pieces, swirling around performers as the music swells and greatly heightening the emotional resonance of these sequences.

Jeff Goldblum's eccentric Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not as whimsical as he appears, as he goes head-to-head with a marginalised Elphaba

The second act of this beloved narrative takes a darker turn than the more whimsical, upbeat first part, exploring mature political themes as Oz becomes a land of corruption and propaganda, marginalising portions of society, such as animals, who could previously speak English, but have been prosecuted by the Wizard (played with the typically delightful unhinged energy of Jeff Goldblum).

Elphaba now lives in hiding, unjustly branded as an evil witch, who becomes determined to show the people of Oz the real side of their 'wonderful' Wizard.

The film does provide an interesting, fresh spin on the well-known events which take place during The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy's arrival in Oz and her subsequent friendships with Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion are lightly covered here, even including fascinating, fun body horror origin stories for a couple of these iconic characters. These moments were handled tastefully and never drew the main focus and attention away from the relationship between the leads.

Despite clocking in at a shorter run time than its predecessor, lasting just over two hours, this film does have a few pacing problems where it is clear the writers have needed to include extra padding to result in a feature-length picture. There is not as much material to work with in this instalment; therefore, more scenes and songs are added to stretch the story out, leading to some meandering and notable sags in narrative momentum.

The movie arguably works better when viewing back to back with the first film, as both complement each other as two acts of a complete story.

Wicked: For Good signifies the concluding chapter of the cinematic stage musical adaptation, complete with an epic production value and catchy theatrical tunes

What does remain consistent across both movies is the central performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, respectively. Both performers put their heart and soul into these characters, with the warmth of their friendship in real life effortlessly translating onscreen. Their natural connection and chemistry make for a heartfelt, rousing tale which can be universally appreciated by anybody.

Although the film lacks the large, show-stopping finale of 'Defying Gravity', 'Because I Knew You' acts as an emotionally rich, intimate song, brought to life by pitch-perfect vocal performances from both leads. With Elphaba and Glinda both appearing as polar opposites, yet forming a strong bond through their shared time together, it is no wonder this musical has become so popular with audiences.

Although Wicked: For Good does lack the narrative momentum and stellar musical set pieces of the first act, this film still manages to impress with its enchanting production design, radiant performances and a touching tale of the power of friendship between two unlikely kindred spirits.

Diehard fans of the stage musical will find much to enjoy, as will regular cinemagoers. Do not miss one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, and get ready to be swept up in the marvellous magic of Wicked.

Check out the trailer for Wicked: For Good (2025) below, and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!