Wicked For Good is the 2025 follow-up to the successful 2024 adaptation of Wicked. The sensational reception of the first feature paved the way for elevated anticipation for this sequel, once again bringing Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda) back with more story to tell. With roots that run deep culturally, this is a piece that has moved the imagination and hearts of audiences for generations. For fans, there was no question of whether it would be added to the watchlist. What remained was discovering if it would live up to the wonder of the first installment.
A Grounded Opening
True to form, Wicked For Good starts off as any strong narrative would—it grounds viewers in the present and reintroduces them to the world. We begin with oppression in action. For those familiar with the story, there is great understanding around the plight of the animals in Oz. They are not just any animals. They are a citizenry, a group imbued with many shared human characteristics including the ability to think, reason, and for some, even educate. However, the leader of Oz no longer desired to recognize their shared humanity. Thus began the plan to oppress, to imprison, to strip the animals of all and anything that would remind them of who they had once been.
Per their new oppressive state, they are tasked with constructing the Yellow Brick Road. This is evident through the grueling nature demonstrated by the arduousness of the task as well as the demeanor of the overseer. Then in swoops Elphaba. She is in her element as champion of the oppressed, true to her character in the first installment. Though now villainized and positioned as the antagonistic figure of the land of Oz, in action, we see who she really is. We receive social proof of her true nature despite the labels she wears.
Setting the Tone Through Song
Not only does the opening frame give us the substance we need to lean into the journey, but the opening song reinforces this as well. It sets the tone while providing narrative clues about the main character’s goal.
As students of film know, the main character is not always the protagonist. This narrative is particularly interesting in this regard—it is up to the viewer to determine who the protagonist is in this film.
Subverting Expectations
Most audiences are accustomed to the typological premise that right always wins, and the character considered the bearer of light is the one to champion it. In this narrative, the tables are quite turned. The one painted the darkest (Elphaba) represents the light, while the one painted in the light represents a darker perspective. This is the brilliance of Wicked.
To see Elphaba as the protagonist, one must buy into the fact that the leader of Oz is indeed wicked. Thus, it becomes the viewer’s desire to see Elphaba’s goal of revealing his more sinister plans—and thus his evil nature—as something not only worth championing but something they too wish to see materialize.
Symbolism at Its Finest
Beyond the opening, it would be foolhardy not to comment on the symbolism. The symbolism is the crème de la crème, invoked in every element of this film. None is more important than the representation modeled by the characterizations of the primary characters themselves. The most powerful thing this film offers is its reflective nature regarding the Wizard of Oz and how it mirrors current societal views.
The Danger of Propaganda
The goal of the powers that be is to wield manipulation to turn the tide of human sentiment. Evil is rebranded as good while simultaneously branding good as evil. There is no suspense revolving around the emphatic underscoring of this premise.
One particular example can be found in the scene where Madame Morrible explains to Glinda how her new mode of transport will sell an illusion that the citizens of Oz are sure to accept. This is propaganda at its finest. It enforces the danger of creating propaganda to mislead—it can fuel public sensibilities to total detriment. The fact that it can do so with such speed is eye-opening and certainly rattling.
The Insidiousness of Manipulation
The film doubles down on the insidiousness of such actions by honing in on how turning the tide of human desire, once the fire is lit, is almost impossible to extinguish. In a major turning point in the narrative, the Wizard pours into Elphaba as she tries to appeal to his sensibilities to reveal the truth so that there is ground upon which the world could progress as it once was.
His response:
“The truth is not a thing of fact or reason. The truth is just what everyone agrees on.”
Even the revelation of truth would never matter. The citizens have already made up their minds about what to believe. Nothing will deter them from that belief. In the subsequent musical number, it is drilled in that this is how villains become heroes in history and vice versa.
This sets up Elphaba’s path forward. The expectation is simply for Elphaba to play the part that was written for her. That would indeed make her and those who work behind the scenes a family. She is essentially persuaded to be “Wicked for Good.”
A Devastating Climax
At the climactic point of the film, viewers become witnesses to the devastating outcomes of circumstance—circumstances that made the characters who they became and subjected them to their fate. Events that shattered dreams, hopes, and hearts. The truth of life and the deeds of people came home to roost.
A Beautiful Achievement
This film is beautiful from a multitude of angles—from cinematography to acting, from the score to the thematic impact. It brought everything home. Wicked For Good is immensely powerful.
In perfect summation of what the entire film brought to light was a statement uttered by Elphaba during her dark night of the soul. Her echoing refrain to her once-friend and classmate, Glinda:
“They need someone to be wicked so you can be good.”
The Frosting on the Cake
It would be a shame not to mention the tie-in to the classic The Wizard of Oz—the frosting on a beautifully layered cake. Despite whatever negative press this film may have received, it cannot be tainted for the imagineer who presses forward to see life with totality of heart, soul, and spirit. For the wonderers. For those who have learned to savor the bitter with the sweet and realize that while not all things make sense, we all play our part. Things work out as they should.
For those who have not seen Wicked for Good, the film is currently streaming on Peacock.
Uncut Diamonds 