We’re about to be changed for the better. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo closed out CinemaCon this year with an emotional first look at the second h
We’re about to be changed for the better. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo closed out CinemaCon this year with an emotional first look at the second half of Glinda and Elphaba’s story, Wicked: For Good.
The Oscar-nominated witches were joined by director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt on stage to share the Wicked: For Good trailer at the convention held in Las Vegas. Rather than wearing their characters’ signature colors—pink and green—as they did last year to introduce the first trailer, Erivo and Grande wore black to introduce the darker second part of the two-part Wicked movie. Based on the second act of the hit Broadway stage musical, Wicked: For Good follows the diverging paths that the lives of Glinda, now Glinda the Good, and Elphaba, now the Wicked Witch of the West, take after their time as roommates at Shiz University—and after Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) declare Elphaba an enemy of Oz.
According to reports, the audience of theater owners “went nuts” for the “dazzling” trailer, which has yet to be released to the public. In the preview, Grande’s Glinda can be seen pining for Elphaba from the Wizard’s emerald castle, and adjusting a huge tiara she wears now that she’s under the employ of the Wizard and Madame Morrible. “Elphaba, I know you’re out there,” says Glinda in a voiceover. Meanwhile, Elphaba can be seen at her castle studying the sacred text known as the Grimmerie. But while Elphaba is technically in hiding, she is also finally fully in control of her powers—and makes her presence in Oz known by writing “OUR WIZARD LIES” in the sky while flying on her broomstick.
The trailer showed Glinda walking down the aisle at her wedding to Fiyero, played by Jonathan Bailey. In it, we also get our first glimpse at Dorothy, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion presenting themselves to Goldblum’s Wizard. The final shot of the trailer depicts Elphaba reaching out for her signature black hat and broom, which fly into her hands, before exclaiming, “I’m off to see the wizard!” While Grande and Erivo didn’t sing at CinemaCon, the trailer included snippets of “No Good Deed” and “For Good,” two of the second act’s major songs, written by composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz.
Although the second film promises two original songs—one for Glinda and one for Elphaba—and a host of modern characters, ultimately Wicked: For Good is about the enduring bond between the two polar opposite witches.“You’re the only friend I’ve ever had,” Elphaba admits to Glinda in the trailer. “And I’ve had so many friends,” Glinda replies. “But you’re the only one that mattered.”
Wicked: Part One was a smash hit, grossing over $747 million globally after its November 2024 release. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best supporting actress for Grande, best actress for Erivo, and best picture, ultimately winning two for costume and production design. Wicked: For Good flies into theaters on November 21.
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