"Wicked: For Good" Trailer: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Face Destiny, Division, and One Last Spellbinding Showdown
The magical, emotional conclusion to Wicked is almost here, as Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) face the consequences of their choices.
Okay, to be quite honest, when we first learned that Universal Pictures was planning to split the film adaptation of Wicked into two installments, our initial reaction was... well, let’s just say we didn’t think it was a great idea. Two parts? It felt like a huge gamble. Sure, the musical works phenomenally on stage, but who knew how well it would translate to the big screen, let alone in two parts?
But it turned out to be a gamble worth taking. Our concerns were unfounded as Wicked: Part One became an enormous box-office hit and critical sensation, taking home two Oscar trophies for Production Design and Costume Design, with ten Oscar nominations in total—including Best Acting nods for Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp and Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland. For all intents and purposes, the film is a certified cultural phenomenon. And with the final installment coming in November, Universal Pictures is looking to have another great year, thanks to a universal story about identity, acceptance, and the power of choosing your own path, not to mention those showstopping musical numbers and stunning visual spectacle.
And with fans already counting the days until the release of Wicked: For Good, the second half of the two-parter, they’ll be happy to know that the first official trailer is now here, giving viewers a sneak peek at the evolving relationship between Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch of the North). Plus, viewers can have a look at those spectacular new musical numbers, and a glimpse of the darker forces stirring in Oz.
The trailer release coincided with Wednesday night’s theatrical re-release of Wicked, which was brought back to theaters for a special one-night-only screening that included exclusive giveaways and a sneak peek at the eagerly anticipated final conclusion, Wicked: For Good, from which its title derives from Elphaba and Glinda’s iconic duet.
The newly released trailer focuses on Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship, showing that these women still have enormous feelings for each other, yet the choices they’ve made have pushed them onto radically different paths, setting the stage for an emotional and magical conclusion.
Also, it seems Oz is working behind the scenes, pulling strings and manipulating public fear against Elphaba—to the point of twisting the truth and driving the two former friends toward vastly different destinies.
We also get a poignant scene between Elphaba and Glinda as they express their lingering feelings about their friendship, what it meant, what it cost, and how it may never be the same again. While dressed in her traditional black witch-like attire, Elphaba confesses, “You’re the only friend I’ve ever had,” to which Glinda responds with an equally honest statement, “And I’ve had so many friends… but only one that mattered,” followed by them holding hands.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the two-part film is an adaptation of the Tony Award–winning musical phenomenon, which itself was inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West—a prequel reimagining of characters from L. Frank Baum’s classic 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which, in turn, inspired the beloved and iconic 1939 Judy Garland film.
Wicked: For Good follows the phenomenal box-office success of the first installment, which earned approximately $756 million worldwide, ranking as one of the highest-grossing musical films of all time.
In addition to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, also returning are Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Wicked: For Good will be arriving in theaters November 21st. And if it’s anything like the first installment, prepare for a few more soaring songs, a couple of heartbreaking farewells, and one last bewitching trip to the land of Oz... as a certain green girl is off to see the wizard.
Official Synopsis:
And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend …
Last year’s global cinematic cultural sensation, which became the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time, now reaches its epic, electrifying, emotional conclusion in Wicked: For Good.
Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu and starring the spectacular returning cast, led by Academy Award nominated superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.
Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.
As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.
As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.