The final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz. A film by Jon M. Chu, starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum.
WICKED
FOR GOOD
Jon M. Chu
(2024)
Many years after the events in WICKED, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) defied the Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum). She learned that the Wizard, who was forbidding Animals from talking and stripping away their rights, was actually a fraud with no magical powers. The Wizard and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) tricked her into reading an incantation from the Grimmerie, a magical spell book.
The spell caused the Wizard’s monkey servant to painfully grow wings and gain the ability to fly. Elphaba realized the Wizard had deceived her into creating flying monkeys that he could use as spies and enforcers of his control.
In the Emerald City of Oz, the citizens are fed lies and deception by Madame Morrible, who falsely claims that Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, is a criminal who must be eliminated. To further their control, Madame Morrible also urges the citizens to trust no Animals.
Meanwhile, by the decree of the Wizard, the soldiers force the Animals into harsh ground labor, compelling them to drag the heavy machine that lays the yellow bricks for the long, narrow, and winding road to the Royal Palace of Oz. Elphaba suddenly appears, launching an attack on the soldiers, and breaks the chains to free the enslaved Animals. Despite her repeated attempts to expose the truth about the Wizard’s deception, all her efforts have failed, and the citizens remain firmly under the propaganda’s influence.
Every day, the terror grows
All of Oz is ever on alert
That’s the way with wicked
Spreading fear wherever she goes
Seeking out new victims she can hurt
Glinda (Ariana Grande) has risen to prominence as “Glinda the Good” during these turbulent times. She becomes the spokesperson of Oz, assuming a public role advocating for the Wizard and maintaining the façade of goodness and stability while his oppressive policies continue. Since Elphaba possesses the magical ability to fly freely, the Wizard sends Madame Morrible to deliver a floating spherical vehicle to Glinda. This public display is intended to make people believe that Glinda also wields powerful magic.
At the Yellow Brick Road opening ceremony, Glinda makes a public announcement to the Ozians that now “all roads lead to the Wizard,” which causes the citizens to erupt in celebration. Glinda is welcomed by Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), who is now the captain of the Gale Force, a special unit serving as the Wizard’s secret police, tasked with maintaining control and hunting down those who oppose the regime. Fiyero is visibly surprised when Madame Morrible tells him that he’s engaged to Glinda, a marriage that has been planned by the Wizard, Madame Morrible, and Glinda without his knowledge or consent.
I hear that she can shed her skin as easily as a snake
I hear some rebel animals are giving her food and shelter
I hear her soul is so unclean, pure water can melt her
During the ceremony, everyone becomes terrified when Elphaba suddenly appears, riding her broom high in the sky above. Madame Morrible immediately takes charge and orders the Ozians to take cover while Elphaba draws a message on the cloud that reads “OUR WIZARD LIES,” hoping everyone will see. Unfortunately, nobody sees her message except Madame Morrible, who quickly uses her magical powers to control the weather, rearranging the letters to instead read “OZ DIES.” Madame Morrible then proclaims that the Wicked Witch of the West wants to kill the Wizard and points her finger to the cloud as the Ozians watch the warning message in horror.
Fiyero leads the Gale Force into the forest in an attempt to capture Elphaba, but the pursuit is unsuccessful. Elphaba retreats to her hideout, upset and profoundly disappointed. Not only did her plan fail miserably, but she is devastated that even Fiyero, who she believes should understand her position, has seemingly turned against her.
At the Governor’s house in Munchkinland, Nessarose (Marissa Bode) has taken over as Madame Governor after the death of her father. She holds a deep grudge against Elphaba, blaming her sister for abandoning her when she needed her the most and for failing to attend their father’s funeral. Avaric (Aaron Teoh) reminds her of the urgency of signing the new proposed regulation, which requires Animals to obtain a permit to travel, noting that Munchkinland is the only place in Oz that has not yet ratified it. Boq (Ethan Slater) disagrees with the regulation and urges Nessa not to sign. However, Nessa feels she has no other option, fearing that if she doesn’t sign, the people will assume she is just like Elphaba.
Nessarose confides in Boq that he is the reason she has been able to cope with all the trouble and sadness, unaware that Boq still has feelings for Glinda. She then realizes that Boq does not love her the way she loves him when he tells her it’s time for him to move on. Nessarose lets Boq go as he wishes. However, Boq soon discovers that he cannot leave Munchkinland without the express written permission of the Governor, a new law that affects all Munchkins. Frustrated, Boq has no choice but to return to the Governor’s house.
Elphaba spots a line of Animals in the forest as they one by one disappear into a tunnel under the yellow brick road. She approaches them and tries to persuade them to stay and help her fight the Wizard for their rights.But the Animals are too frightened, mentioning that those who speak out have been arrested and never seen again. Among those departing to the place beyond Oz is Dulcibear (Sharon D. Clarke), Elphaba’s childhood nanny, who warns Elphaba that no one in Oz will be happy until she is dead. Elphaba breaks into song, explaining that there’s no place like home and trying to convince them to fight for their place in Oz. Suddenly, the Cowardly Lion (Colman Domingo) appears and urges everyone not to listen to Elphaba, blaming her for his miserable life. It shocks everyone when the Cowardly Lion reveals that Elphaba is the one who gave the monkey wings.
Discouraged and resigned
That’s what they want you to do
But think how you will grieve
For all you leave behind
Oz belongs to you too
Having failed to convince the animals, Elphaba turns to her sister Nessarose, hoping that as Governor, people will listen to her. But Nessar becomes upset and questions why she should help Elphaba, pointing out that Elphaba has been flying around with the spellbook helping Animals but never once tried to use magic to help her. Startled, Elphaba says Nessa never wanted her help.Suddenly, the Grimmerie springs open, flipping through its pages before stopping. Elphaba reads the incantation, causing Nessa’s shoes to glow as they slowly lift her body off the ground until she floats in midair.
After learning from the newspaper about Glinda’s upcoming wedding, Boq barges into Nessa’s office to ask for permission to leave. He asserts that he lost his heart to Glinda the moment he first saw her and wants to confess his feelings. Boq says he can’t stand being trapped there like a prisoner, comparing Nessa as being as wicked as her sister Elphaba.
Upset, Nessa flips through the Grimmerie, wishing to find a spell that will capture Boq’s heart. A page glows and Nessa begins reading the incantation. Horrified, Elphaba tries to stop Nessa from casting the spell with the wrong pronunciations, but it’s too late. Boq starts feeling pain in his chest and writhes in agony as his heart begins to shrink. Nessa screams at Elphaba, begging her to fix it. However, Elphaba insists that spells from the Grimmerie cannot be reversed. To save Boq’s life, Elphaba casts another spell on him, transforming him into the Tin Man.
My poor Boq, my sweet, my brave him
Don’t leave me till my sorry life has ceased
Alone and loveless here
With just the girl in the mirror
Just her and me
The Wicked Witch of the East
We deserve each other
After Elphaba leaves, Boq regains consciousness and is shocked to see his new appearance as the Tin Man. Furious, he blames Nessa, but Nessa denies responsibility, falsely claiming that it was Elphaba who did this to him. Believing her, Boq flees the governor house, determined to find Elphaba.
Elphaba visits Glinda at her glamorous palace in the Emerald City while Glinda is getting ready for her wedding. Glinda is overjoyed to see Elphaba and insists on taking her to see the Wizard to resolve the misunderstandings. Elphaba refuses, stating that the matter is strictly between her and the Wizard.
Elphaba then confronts the Wizard, warning him that his days are over and threatening him to come forward with her in front of the wedding guests. She demands he admit he has no magical powers and that he cannot read the Grimmerie. The Wizard finds this amusing and laughs. He explains that it doesn’t matter what he says or does; the Ozians are never going to stop believing in him, because they don’t want to. Instead, he suggests that Elphaba should join him and Glinda. He promises that when the people see her with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, they will begin to trust Elphaba, and together, they will be the greatest team ever.
A rich man’s a thief or philanthropist
Is one an invader or noble crusader?
It’s all in which label is able to persist
There are precious few at ease with moral ambiguities
So we act as though they don’t exist
Convinced by his appeal, Elphaba says she will join them on two conditions: no more blaming Animals (including allowing those who have left to be free to return) and that the Wizard must set the monkeys free. Contemplating her terms, the Wizard eventually agrees to Elphaba’s demands.
After Elphaba and the Wizard reach an agreement, Elphaba unlocks the cage and sets the Flying Monkeys free. But after the Wizard and Glinda leave the throne room to prepare for the ceremony, Chistery, the leader of the Flying Monkeys, returns. He shows Elphaba a hidden passage leading to a vault where the Wizard has been imprisoning Animals, including Dr. Dillamond.
Finding her in the vault upon his return, the Wizard attempts to justify himself by claiming certain Animals cannot be trusted. Elphaba, enraged, sees through his deception, realizing he will never stop using Animals as scapegoats and had no intention of releasing them. She declares that she will fight him until the day she dies and unleashes her magical power, breaking all the locks and freeing every captive Animal. The Animals then flee the palace, consequently sabotaging Glinda and Fiyero’s wedding ceremony.
Fiyero and the Gale Force rush to the Wizard’s chamber and find the Wizard being strangled by Elphaba’s broomstick. Fiyero orders his squad to bring back as much water as they can carry, based on the rumor that clean water is the only thing that can kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Right after the squad leaves the chamber, Fiyero forces the Wizard into the cage and locks him inside. Glinda finally arrives at the chamber, perplexed to find the Wizard locked in the cage. Fiyero then announces he is going with Elphaba, surprising both her and Glinda. Heartbroken, Glinda realizes Fiyero never loved her, and that Elphaba, whom she believed was her friend, has betrayed her trust by stealing her man.
Don’t start
Wishing only wounds the heart
There’s a girl I know
He loves her so
I’m not that girl
Madame Morrible soon arrives at the Wizard’s chamber with the squad, but Fiyero and Elphaba are already gone. The Wizard tells her that he and Elphaba had a deal, but she double-crossed him. Furious, Madame Morrible suggests they must find a way to force Elphaba to show herself, but the Wizard says it would be impossible without the flying monkeys. Glinda interjects, proposing they use Elphaba’s sister as bait: if they spread the rumor that Nessarose is in trouble, Elphaba will surely come to her rescue, allowing them to capture her. However, Madame Morrible points out that Elphaba is too smart and a simple rumor might not work.
At the Ozian forest hideout, Elphaba and Fiyero profess their love for each other. (How do they even get here so fast though? Does she fly him here?) Fiyero warns that it’s not safe there since the Wizard will eventually find this place. He proposes they relocate to his family castle in Kiamo Ko, noting that its tunnels and secret passageways would make it a perfect hideout.
Kiamo Ko Castle is located on the peak of Knobblehead Pike in the Vinkus of Winkie Country, which is far west in the land of Oz. It is described as being “as far west as you can go in Winkie Country,” bordering the impassable desert. The castle’s location is remote and isolated from the Emerald City. The distance is significant, much farther than Elphaba’s Ozian forest hideout which is near Emerald City. It requires a deliberate, challenging journey through various terrains in Oz to reach.
Maybe I’m wise
But you’ve got me seeing
Through different eyes
Somеhow I’ve fallen
Under your spеll
And somehow, I’m feeling
It’s up that I fell
While they’re talking, Elphaba suddenly experiences a strange vision of a house flying through the sky. In this vision, she sees Nessarose moving through Munchkin village in her wheelchair, looking for Boq during a storm. Suddenly the house falls from the sky and crashes onto Nessarose, and her vision abruptly goes black. Unaware that Madame Morrible has conjured a massive cyclone that swept the house into the sky, Elphaba is terrified by the vision and believes Nessarose is in danger. She tells Fiyero that she must go see her sister immediately. When Fiyero asks to come along, Elphaba insists he should stay because it’s too dangerous.
Upon reaching the Munchkin village, it is already too late; Elphaba discovers Nessa’s body crushed under the house. She becomes infuriated when she learns that Glinda gave Nessa’s shoes to a young girl named Dorothy, who was in the house that killed Nessa. She confronts Glinda, stating fiercely that those shoes are all she has left of Nessarose, and they were not Glinda’s to give away freely. Glinda argues that taking things that do not belong to you seems normal, presumably referring to Elphaba and Fiyero. Their heated argument quickly turns into a full-on fight.
During their struggle, the Gale Force appears and apprehends Elphaba. Shocked, Elphaba realizes that Glinda has used Nessa’s death as a trap to capture her. Fiyero arrives on the scene just in time to rescue Elphaba by threatening to kill Glinda if the Guards don’t let her go. Fiyero sacrifices himself to stall the Guards, allowing Elphaba to escape.
Fiyero is arrested and transported to a cornfield where he is beaten and tortured. Desperate to save his life, Elphaba wishes to spare him from the pain. The Grimmerie flips open and Elphaba begins reading the incantation. The magic transforms Fiyero into the Scarecrow.
Directed by American filmmaker Jon M. Chu, WICKED: For Good is the final installment of a musical film adaptation based on the renowned stage play of the same name. The screenplay, written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, is loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which itself was inspired by L. Frank Baum’s classic 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
While For Good still looks stunning with a great ensemble cast and a visual feast of cinematic CGI, the narrative now shifts toward a darker and gloomier tone, relying heavily on emotional weight.
Clocking in at just over two hours, the movie feels rushed in several sections. This is partly because, unlike the previous film, the many characters are now separated, requiring their screen time to be carefully adjusted to tell their respective parts of the story.
On top of that, additional ensemble characters, such as Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion, also require time to establish their storylines.
My favorite aspect of this installment is how seamlessly it incorporates the origin arcs of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, even though these moments are understandably brief since they are not the main characters of WICKED.
Michelle Yeoh delivers an outstanding performance as Madame Morrible, who ultimately becomes the most fascinating character and the true wicked witch. She is the one who conjures the powerful cyclone that sweeps Dorothy’s house from Kansas to the magical Land of Oz. Tragically, the house then falls upon Elphaba’s younger sister, Nessarose, killing her instantly.
Interestingly, the songs in this part are less catchy, almost as if they’re only there for Broadway fans who expect to hear them. These musical numbers tend to drag down the pace, often conveying information that could have been delivered in a few lines of dialogue instead of an entire song. I actually fell asleep during one of them.
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? But
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good
WICKED: For Good feels underwhelming compared to the first part, which was spellbinding and exhilarating. This part comes across as dull, serious, and less funny, with the exception of the scene where Glinda receives her Floating Bubble. The song “For Good” is also genuinely emotional. But one song can’t salvage the entire movie.
WICKED: For Good premiered at the Suhai Music Hall in São Paulo on 4 November 2025. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 21 November.
