As a theater kid and movie fanatic, I simply cannot stop singing the Wicked soundtrack, checking out all the new Mattel dolls, and re-watching the Wicked trailer. And I absolutely wore Glinda's signature pink when the Wicked movie flew into theaters November 22. But while this was definitely the movie event of the year, it's only part one of the story.
Just like the Broadway musical is split into two acts, Wicked is going to be in two parts. But good news Ozians: the Wicked: Part 2release date just got bumped up!
Here's everything you need to know about Wicked: Part Two before the movie changes us for good :).
Is Dorothy in Wicked: Part 2?
Any fan of the musical knows that Wicked features moments from The Wizard of Oz, and during part 1, you can see Dorothy walking to the Emerald City with the scarecrow, cowardly lion, and tin man. But one theory suggests we'll actually get to know Dorothy for one very good reason: a new Wizard of Oz movie is coming.
"Considering we’re having so much Wicked excitement how would you feel about the thought of Universal actually making a Wizard of Oz remake retelling with the themes of Wicked we already know," one Reddit user asks. "Sorta like now is having sympathy towards the wicked witch now, and maybe going in extremely similar way to the original Wizard of Oz but clearly taking a new turn to it with our new pov of the characters."
Plus, director Jon M. Chu teased that we'll see even more of her than we have before! “In movie 1, it was important to let Dorothy be how you want her to be. I didn't want to step on your images of whatever version of Dorothy you wanted her to be,” he tells ScreenRant. “But the presence is important because that plays a significant role in what will happen and how they intersect...But you'll have to see movie 2 to know how far we go with her.”
When is Wicked: Part Two coming out?
Image via Madison Bailey/InstagramWhen is Outer Banks season 4 coming out?Wicked: Part Two Release Date
Wicked: Part 2 will hit theaters November 21, 2025. While the movie was originally slated for November 26, 2025, Universal Pictures decided to bump up the release date. The first Wicked movie also faced a schedule change, moving from November 27 to November 22, 2024, the same day as Gladiator II! And I can confirm they make for the perfect double feature.
What happens in Wicked Part 2?
Universal Pictures
Wicked: Part Two Plot
Act II of the musical is all about Oz's response to Elphaba becoming the "Wicked Witch of the West." Glinda becomes beloved public figure "Glinda the Good," but realizes just how much her dreams have cost her as Elphaba is gone and Fiyero, now Glinda's fiancé, is determined to find Elphaba no matter the cost.
Wicked: Part Two will feature songs like "As Long As You're Mine," "No Good Deed," and "For Good" (as well as some new ones) — and Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey are going to absolutely slay.
Jon M. Chu told Entertainment Weekly that part 2 is all about "consequences," and how lonely it can be after you make an important choice like we see Elphie make in part 1. "Choices are difficult to make, but when you do make those choices, sometimes the result isn't what you expect it to be," he says. "There's a lot of soul searching in movie 2. They're asking, 'Is this the right decision that you made?'"
And even though Act II of the musical is pretty dark, Jon promises movie 2 will feature some of the same lightheartedness we saw in movie 1. "There is lots of lightness in the movie," he continues. "There's a lot of fun parts. We've not forgotten about that, but there's a matureness and a nuance to it that we earn from the first movie. The second movie really gets to play with [that maturity]."
Who's in the cast of Wicked: Part Two?
Universal Pictures
Wicked: Part Two Cast
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Jonathan Bailey will reprise their roles as Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero, respectively. Wicked: Part Two will also star Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, and Keala Settle.
Why is the Wicked movie taking so long?
Universal Pictures
The Wicked movie has had a long road to get to its release! News of the movie adaptation originally broke in 2016, with an intended release date of 2019. But the COVID-19 pandemic, and a few behind-the-scenes details, pushed the movie to 2024 instead.
"As we prepared this production over the last year, it became increasingly clear that it would be impossible to wrestle the story of WICKED into a single film without doing some real damage to it," director Jon M. Chu tweeted in April of 2022, announcing the story would arrive in two installments.
"With more space, we can tell the story of WICKED as it was meant to be told while bringing even more depth and surprise to the journeys of these beloved characters."
Did they finish filming Wicked Part 2?
The good news is that, even though we have to wait a year to see Wicked: Part Two, filming is already done! On January 26, Cynthia Erivo shared a breathtaking photo of her silhouette as Elphaba flying on a broom. "I’ve been trying to think of what I’d say when this day finally came, and I’m failing miserably, because honestly there aren’t enough words to fully express what this experience has meant to me," she says on Instagram.
"The universe will take things away to make space for the grand gifts it has waiting for us," she continues. "THIS moment, this film, these people, this cast, this crew, this director, my Glinda, were the Grandest gift I could ever have asked for, and I am eternally grateful for the chance to bring you This Elphie. I hope when you meet her, you’ll love her as much and as fiercely as I do. And with that I say, that’s a wrap for me, Elphie out!! 💚💚💚"
Ariana Grande shared a similar image of her own silhouette on January 25, saying, "like a handprint on my heart," which is a lyric from "For Good." I love these women so much!
Let us know what you're most excited to see in Wicked: Part Two on Facebook, and see if you spotted this Wicked trailer Easter egg.
This post has been updated.
