MOVIE SCENE CANADA
WICKED FOR GOOD
​I Universal Pictures Canada I November 21, 2025 I 128 mins. I
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73%
* As of 11/18/25
CAST:
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode
DIRECTOR(S):
Jon M. Chu
Now demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) lives in exile in the Ozian forest, while Glinda (Ariana Grande) resides at the palace in Emerald City, reveling in the perks of fame and popularity.
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As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, she'll need to reunite with Glinda to transform herself, and all of Oz, for good.
REVIEW BY: Darren Zakus - 11/18/25
RATING 5 out of 5
Wicked: For Good is an emotionally charged and thrilling conclusion to Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship that improves on the shortcomings of the stage musical’s second act and matches the stellar filmmaking calibre of Jon M. Chu’s first act, that thanks to the outstanding performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande and its many show-stopping musical numbers, will change audiences for the better with a dazzling big screen conclusion to the beloved musical.
Last year, audiences defied gravity when the long awaited adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical finally arrived on the big screen. While it was an ambitious adaptation, devoting one film to each act of the Broadway musical, Jon M. Chu and his talented cast led by the spellbinding pairing of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba and Glinda obliterated all expectations, delivering an adaptation beyond the wildest dreams of any fan. Wicked became an instant critical and commercial success, only raising expectations to new heights for the second film adapting the stage musical’s second act. And after a year of waiting, Wicked: For Good is arriving in theatres to conclude the story of the Witches of Oz. As eloquently by Chu, the second film is about the consequences of the actions of the characters made at the end of the first film, and he could not be more right as Wicked: For Good is an emotional reckoning of these decisions, giving the story the majestic and heart wrenchingly beautiful big screen finale it deserves. Led once again by the glorious performances of Erivo and Grande, Wicked: For Good is a love letter to the fans of the stage musical, expanding the second act’s narrative and accomplishing more impactful character arcs that the stage show could not do due to time constraints that will have audiences leaving the theatre being changed for good.
Wicked has the fun, energetic musical numbers that brings audiences back to the merry old land of Oz, but Wicked: For Good is the mature evolution of the first film’s setup. Never mincing a second of the tyrannical rule of the Wizard and his oppression of the animal population, Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox’s screenplay never sugar coats the darkness inherent in the story, instead embracing it while exploring the fractured relationship between Elphaba and Glinda and some chilling real world parallels. During the film’s first act, Holzman and Fax add lots of new material to flush out the world of Oz under the Wizard’s control as Elphaba fights to reveal the truth behind his lies and Glinda comes to the realization of what her actions are supporting, creating a thematic depth to the film that sets up larger emotions in the film’s second act. Underscoring all this is the undeniable and unbreakable love and friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, creating the emotional core of the film and completing the journey that audiences began in the first film.
There are moments of joy with Elphaba and Glinda, notably the “Wonderful” musical number which Glinda’s involvement only enriches (as she was not part of this song in the stage show), but also moments of heartbreak and betrayal as Dorothy crash lands in Oz and becomes another pawn in the Wizard’s grand scheme as he pits Elphaba and Glinda against each other. The inclusion of Dorothy and her friends works just as well as it did on the stage show, displaying Wicked: For Good’s concurrent storyline with the events of The Wizard of Oz that never overtakes Elphaba and Glinda’s story, but instead fits as a piece of a puzzle of their larger friendship and becomes a catalyst for their reconciliation. Every moment over the run time builds to the film’s emotional final act that lands perfectly, delivering all of the chills and tears as Glinda and Elphaba embrace their fate as written by The Wizard of Oz that will ensure that there will not be a dry eye in the audience as the film reaches its climax.
Continuing the stellar performances of the first film, Erivo and Grande once again defy gravity as Elphaba and Glinda. Erivo brings a quiet stillness to Elphaba in the first act as she captures Elphaba’s bleeding heart for the persecuted animals and desire to protect those who have been othered like herself, while also displaying great strength while taking the battle to the Wizard. In her musical numbers, Erivo’s voice soars to the stratosphere and brings down the house with every song, giving a performance that will become the definitive Elphaba for so many viewers. Grande deepens her portrayal of Glinda, again featuring the impeccable comedic timing of the first film, but developing a far more compelling arc for Glinda. From the second she begins “Thank Goodness,” Grande captures the inner turmoil within Glinda as she is forced to vilify her best friend to appease a tyrannical ruler, using silent moments of facial expressions to say so much more than be conveyed with words. And as the story develops, Grande gives a truth to Glinda “the Good” with her performance as she becomes the hero that Oz needs, delivering a classic Hollywood performance that is simply unforgettable thanks to her grace, compassion, and fortitude that makes for the most dazzling supporting performance of the year.
There is no doubt for a second that the film does not belong to Erivo and Grande, but their supporting cast is as talented as them and shines whenever given the opportunity. Michelle Yeoh gets to fully embrace Madame Morrible’s villainous side in this sequel, chewing on every scene she has opposite Grande’s Glinda and creating a more formidable villain than the Wizard himself. Bailey never squanders a second of screen time as Fiyero, sharing fantastic chemistry with both Erivo and Grande while letting Fiyero’s inherent goodness break free of the playboy prince persona audiences first encountered in the first film. After waiting through the entire first film for her big moment, Marissa Bode gives a new meaning to the word wickedness as Nessarose, bringing a heartbreaking devastation to her character’s pivotal scene that is even more tragic and harrowing than it ever was on stage. And rounding out the main supporting cast is Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, not only doing his whole song and dance during “Wonderful” with a gleeful energy that captures the mysterious and playful air of his character, but a moral corruption that only fuels Elphaba’s efforts to free Oz from his grip holds.
Like the first film, Wicked: For Good is a glorious sight to behold. The sets once again are magnificent, fully capturing the grandeur of Oz with the Emerald City, the beautiful seclusion of Elphaba’s forest hideaway, the quaintness of the never ending flower fields leading into Munchkinland, or the ancient mysteries of Kiamo Ko castle, proving the practical sets will always create a more immersive movie going experience for viewers. Paul Tazewall’s costumes are glorious, showing up his Academy Award winning work in the first film with even more exquisite designs that captures the fantastical and elegance of Oz with each strand of fabric. When combined with Chu’s emphasis on practical filmmaking where possible and Alice Brook’s striking cinematography that captures all the beauty and darkness in Oz, Wicked: For Good becomes a visual feast that helps immerse audiences in its beautiful story in every moment.
To no one’s surprise, the musical numbers are out of this world. While it is often said that the songs of the stage show’s second act are not as memorable as the first, the film’s entire cast gives a good argument as to why they are just as incredible. Grande’s performance of “Thank Goodness” is mesmerizing, not only vocally but with the deep conflict she finds within Glinda who is faced with the consequences of becoming a public figure means turning her back on Elphaba, starting her breathtaking character arc over the film. Bode shines during “The Wicked Witch of the East,” and will go down in the musical theatre history books as the first performer to ever record the song, while Bailey and Erivo’s duet of “As Long As You’re Mine” is a sizzling romantic duet that will have audiences reeling. Erivo’s show-stopping performance of “No Good Deed” is breathtaking to say the least, delivering a powerful moment that rivals the first film’s “Defying Gravity”, but it is the titular duet “For Good” between Erivo and Grande that is the highlight of the entire, whose beautiful harmonies brings new life to this musical theatre standard.
The big question, though, is the calibre of the new songs written by Stephen Schwartz specifically for the film, and they are a mixed bag. Compared to the rest of the songs of the film, they do not have the same energy or emotional impact and will be quickly forgotten. But narratively speaking, both “There’s No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” play key parts in Elphaba and Glinda’s respective journeys over the course of the film, enriching their character arcs and giving them an important development that was not shown in the stage show. The movie is better for their existence as a whole, and while the songs from the stage show will no doubt reign superior in fans minds, these two songs raise the emotional stakes of the film and ensure that when “For Good” begins, the tears have never flowed harder.
Every second of Wicked: For Good is not only a testament to Jon M. Chu’s incredible direction in bringing this beloved story from the stages of Broadway to the big screen, but the passion and dedication by him and his cast to deliver an extraordinary adaptation that surpasses all expectations. With a more complex and emotionally charged narrative, Wicked: For Good is the perfect companion to Wicked and completes Elphaba and Glinda’s friendship with all the heart, laughter and emotion that have made this musical a staple of the musical theatre world for the past twenty years. With the out of this world performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande leading the film, making for two of the year’s best performances, Wicked: For Good completes the thematically rich, gorgeously crafted and passionately beautiful two part adaptation of the beloved stage musical that under the magical direction of Jon M. Chu, when viewed in its entirety with its predecessor, is destined to go down in the history books as one of the greatest Broadway musical adaptations of all time!