Waiting a full year to finish one of the most impactful musical stories ever put to screen is never easy — and the anticipation for Wicked: For Good felt especially heavy after how emotionally wrecked the first film left audiences. So the big question is: did this second chapter live up to all that build-up?
For me, yes — but in a very different way than Part One.
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In both the book and the musical, I’ve always found the first act more personally impactful. There’s something about the innocence, the friendship, the naïve hopefulness of these characters before the world turns against them. That shift — paired with the year-long wait between films — made Part Two feel more like walking into a storm I’d already prepared myself for. I knew what was coming, even if knowing didn’t make it hurt any less.
Part Two is undeniably darker. Terrible things happen, choices have consequences, and the emotional stakes are much heavier. But there’s also a sense of resolution woven through it — a quiet hope that didn’t exist at the end of Part One. Even though this film is filled with heartbreak, it lets you breathe again by the time the final moments arrive. You walk out feeling moved, not just broken.
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Visually, the film is stunning. The cinematography and worldbuilding remain gorgeous, it was filmed at the same time, so its no surprise, sweeping, colorful, and intricately detailed without losing the fantasy magic of Oz. Every set piece feels lived in and intentional, and the darker tone never takes away from the beauty of the world.
Performance-wise, the leads absolutely carry the emotional weight of this chapter.
Ariana Grande fully steps into Glinda here. She plays her not just as the glittery, perfect “Good Witch,” but as someone torn between approval, image, and her own shifting morality. You really feel her internal conflict as she faces who she’s expected to be versus who she actually wants to become. She earns her ending.
Cynthia Erivo continues to be an absolute powerhouse — both vocally and emotionally. Her Elphaba is layered with strength, pain, and vulnerability, and “No Good Deed” stands out as one of the film’s biggest emotional punches. She makes you feel every ounce of the weight Elphaba is carrying.
Musically, the film remains strong. Some new additions may not have the instant-iconic pull of the first installment’s hits, but the emotional storytelling behind the performances more than makes up for it. The major numbers hit where they’re supposed to, especially as the story leans into consequence, sacrifice, and the complexity of loyalty.
If Part One was about becoming, Part Two is about what it costs. And that’s where this final chapter finds its power.
While the pacing occasionally stretches and some side plots don’t land as strongly, the core relationship — the friendship, the fracture, and the lingering love between Glinda and Elphaba — is the heart that holds everything together. Their connection is what makes this finale so deeply felt.
In the end, Wicked: For Good isn’t trying to recreate the magic of its first half. It’s here to finish the story — darker, heavier, and more grown — but still breathtakingly beautiful. You leave with a mix of heartbreak and hope, exactly the way this story was always meant to end.
