When Wicked arrived at the tail end of 2024, audiences made a real song and dance about it – it pulled in over $750 million at the box office, earne
When Wicked arrived at the tail end of 2024, audiences made a real song and dance about it – it pulled in over $750 million at the box office, earned Oscar nominations, and rave reviews to boot. But how do you move past ‘Defying Gravity’? The first film saw director Jon M. Chu adapt act one of the hit stage musical – telling a very different backstory for the witches of Oz, aka Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s G(a)linda – closing out on the ultimate Elphabanger. But fear not. Act two, adapted into Wicked: For Good, still has plenty in store.
As Chu tells Empire, audiences have quite literally only seen half the story, and what comes next will enrich the entire experience. “I love that people get to see the full masterplan, and the full scope of what Cynthia and Ariana do in this movie,” he grins, opening up about For Good. “I’m so happy they were appreciated in the first one, but movie two is where the meat comes out.” And what meat that is. Elphaba has defied Goldblum’s ‘wonderful’ Wizard and gone her own way, flying monkeys in tow; Glinda is left behind in the Emerald City with the nefarious Madame Morrible; and an oppressive regime threatens to take over the land. Next, we’re moving into Wizard Of Oz territory – see the Yellow Brick Road being assembled in the above exclusive image.
Expect a dramatic journey for both of our heroes – especially the green one. “The stakes are higher than ever for Elphaba,” Chu explains. “She’s fighting to expose the Wizard, but she’s alone in that. Can one person actually make a difference? She’s up against the Wizard’s propaganda, calling her the Wicked Witch, talking about how her skin is green and her soul is impure. What happens when the home you believed in doesn’t want you anymore? Is it worth defending? Why stay?” She’s going to have to defy more than just gravity this time.
Read Empire’s full Wicked: For Good story – speaking to Jon M. Chu about the much-anticipated second chapter – in The Running Man issue, on sale Thursday 28 August. Pre-order a copy online here. Wicked: For Good comes to UK cinemas from 21 November.
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