Wicked: For Good Is the Rare Hollywood Sequel That Earned Its Standing Ovation — Here's Why It Works

Wicked: For Good Is the Rare Hollywood Sequel That Earned Its Standing Ovation

Sequels rarely outdo the original. Wicked: For Good is the exception that proves the rule. The second chapter of the massive film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz's beloved Broadway musical has arrived in theaters, and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are once again owning the screen — this time with a finale that has audiences leaving the cinema in tears and applause.

The Story Picks Up Right Where Wicked Left Off

Directed once again by Jon M. Chu, the film dives straight into the fallout of the first movie's cliffhanger. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) has fully embraced her role as the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, while Glinda (Ariana Grande) climbs the ladder in the Emerald City under the shadow of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Their fractured friendship — the emotional engine of the whole saga — becomes the heart of the film as the two former best friends move toward the events of The Wizard of Oz.

It Delivers on the Music, the Heart, and the Spectacle

The undeniable highlight is Defying Gravity getting its full, triumphant, act-one-closing payoff — a moment that earned genuine standing ovations during preview screenings. But the finishing emotional gut-punch belongs to Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel's show-stopping, cameo-heavy final number: the two original Broadway stars finally share the screen with Erivo and Grande in a sequence that had fans (including millennial theater kids who grew up on the original cast album) openly sobbing.

Add in Jonathan Bailey as a swoon-worthy Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh's commanding turn as Madame Morrible, and the sumptuous production design courtesy of Universal Pictures, and you have a blockbuster that wears its $150 million+ budget proudly.

Why It's the Rare Sequel That Works

Most legacy sequels exist to cash in — think mid-tier reboots and nostalgia bait. Wicked: For Good inverts that. Because the musical's second act is famously leaner and weirder, Chu and screenwriter Winnie Holzman (who wrote the original book) had room to expand the story, deepen the political subtext, and give both leads the emotional arcs Hollywood too often denies its female stars. The result is a sequel that feels essential, not obligatory.

Whether you're a lifelong Wicked fan or only discovered it with the 2024 first film, Wicked: For Good is a must-see in theaters. It's streaming later for the die-hards, but trust us — you want to hear that final number with a crowd.

Have you seen Wicked: For Good yet? Tell us your favorite moment in the comments!