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Culture > Entertainment

How Much Time Passed Between ‘Wicked’ & ‘Wicked: For Good’? Fans Have A Guess

There may have been only a one-year time gap between the release date of Wicked (Nov. 22, 2024) and its sequel, Wicked: For Good (Nov. 21, 2025), but far more time passed for the characters in the Land of Oz. For those wondering where exactly the sequel picks up in the Oz timeline, there is a good estimate for how much time passed between Wicked and For Good based on the two acts of the Broadway show. If you’re wondering yourself, the answer seems to be around five. Let’s put the pieces together. 

Spoiler alert: Spoilers for Act II of Wicked on Broadway follow (and potentially Wicked: For Good). As fans may already know from the cast press tour, Wicked: For Good picks up pretty much the same way as Act II of the Broadway musical. The characters have moved on from their days at Shiz University, Glinda is working for the Wizard, Fiyero is also high in the ranks of Oz, Nessa is Governor of Munchkinland, and Elphaba is essentially hiding from the Oz guards and everyone that’s afraid of her. It seems like it’s been years — but how many exactly? The timeline is intentionally vague, and has been highly debated since the musical’s debut in 2003. 

According to a few Reddit feeds and Wikipedia, it’s safe to assume the timeline picks up about five years after the ending of the first film. One clue is that the lion cub has grown into a full grown lion, and lions reach adulthood within three to four years. Assuming that Shiz is a four-year university, and Wicked part one takes place during their first year, it’s definitely at least three years later — plus considering the time it took for Glinda and Fiyero to climb the ranks in the Oz government. 

@theozvlog

Replying to @Shut up, Jasun How many years separate the two @Wicked Movie or act 1 and act 2 of @WICKED the Musical ? #wickedmovie #wickedthemusical #part1 #forgood #theozvlog #ozhistorian #timeline

♬ original sound – The Oz Vlog

John M. Chu has put in his own thoughts as the film’s director — less about the timeline, and more about the storyline — viewing the two films as one inseparable whole. “Once you see movie two, you cannot forget it. It will always be tied to your movie one experience,” he said in an interview with Variety. “It’s one big story to me.”

So while the sequel may arrive just a year after Wicked in our world, Oz has had at least three years of transformation. In many ways, Wicked: For Good is the beginning of a new era — whether it’s for good or not. 

Lyda Cosgrove

Elon '27

Lyda Cosgrove is thrilled to contribute to the Culture and Style sections of Her Campus as an intern this fall. Currently a junior at Elon University in North Carolina, she majors in journalism and media analytics with a minor in professional writing studies. This semester, she is studying abroad in Florence, Italy through the Accademia Europea Firenze.

With a lifelong passion for storytelling and uncovering fresh angles, Lyda is eager to bring curiosity and creativity to her work. When she’s not writing about the latest pop culture moments or diving into Italy’s rich history during her classes, you’ll find her exploring new coffee shops to find the best cappuccino, taking long walks with friends or unwinding in a yoga class.

Back on Elon’s campus, Lyda is an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha, works in the Campus Writing Center and writes and edits for both the Elon Yearbook and the lifestyle magazine, The Edge. She hopes to one day pursue a career in the magazine industry, writing feature and entertainment stories that inspire and connect readers.