Wicked: For Good is too safe to be wonderful – despite Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s efforts

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In 2022, composer Stephen Schwartz explained that a major reason for splitting the musical Wicked into two films was how difficult it was to follow the iconic song ‘Defying Gravity’ with another scene – anything after it felt like a letdown. Similarly, the new film, Wicked: For Good, faces the challenge of living up to the original Wicked musical.

The first Wicked movie was a huge success, becoming the highest-grossing movie musical ever with worldwide earnings of $758 million and earning 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. Early signs suggest the new movie, Wicked: For Good, is also set to be a blockbuster, with pre-sale ticket numbers already breaking records. However, it remains to be seen if audiences will love it as much as the original.

As a huge Wicked fan, I’ve noticed something funny: bring up the second act, and you’re almost guaranteed to start a debate! Some people think it doesn’t quite live up to the first act – they say it feels a little slower and doesn’t have any songs that hit quite like ‘Defying Gravity’. But others will passionately defend it, claiming there are some amazing songs in the second act that are just as good, if not better! Honestly, there’s no real answer – it all comes down to what you like. And you can expect a similar discussion when it comes to Wicked: For Good too!

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Though shorter than the original film, Wicked: For Good still adds depth to the musical while staying true to the story. It does this not only with two new songs, but also by fleshing out scenes to address the feeling that the second half of the musical was too fast-paced. For the most part, this works well, particularly in making Glinda’s character development stronger, though the last part of the movie still feels a bit rushed.

The film gives fans more scenes featuring the dynamic between Elphaba and Glinda than the stage show did. While a nice addition – Glinda now participates in the song ‘Wonderful’ – the movie initially suffers from not having the same strong connection between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande that made the first film so compelling. The early part of the movie really feels the loss of their chemistry.

Adapting a beloved story always presents a challenge. Director Jon M Chu and writers Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox didn’t create the structure of the musical, which often keeps the characters Elphaba and Glinda separated, or the fact that many songs are performed as solos or duets, making large dance numbers difficult. While they did a solid job, the film Wicked: For Good feels a little too cautious and could have benefited from more imaginative choices.

The new songs, ‘No Place Like Home’ (sung by Elphaba) and ‘The Girl in the Bubble’ (sung by Glinda), highlight this issue. While both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande perform these introspective solos competently, neither song is particularly memorable. ‘The Girl in the Bubble’ is slightly better, benefiting from interesting stage effects using reflections, but overall, both songs feel like chances to enhance the musical that weren’t fully realized.

Honestly, some parts of the movie really shined. “No Good Deed” was a total highlight – Cynthia Erivo’s vocals were insane, and the movie actually paused like it was waiting for everyone to clap! Then there was “For Good,” which Erivo and Ariana Grande sang so beautifully. You do have to be patient to get to these moments, but trust me, they’re worth the wait and make the second half of Wicked: For Good way better than the first.

If this sounds a bit negative, it’s because the original movie was a significant improvement over the stage musical. This sequel tries to build on what came before, but it doesn’t consistently reach the same heights, preventing it from being truly great.

While some viewers will be happy with the strong performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande – proving they were ideal choices for their roles – others might find that Wicked: For Good doesn’t quite live up to the magic of the original film.

Wicked: For Good is released in cinemas on 21 November.

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2025-11-18 20:20