Let us be glad! Let us be grateful!!! The second part of Wicked (2025), Wicked: For Good (2025), will be released in less than a month! November 21, 2025 to be exact. I am beyond excited for this film. Ever since I stepped out of that theater, I’ve been so obsessed with the music, the visuals and just the storytelling overall. Maybe I’m biased because I love musicals, but this film is phenomenal. I’ve been waiting quite literally a year to see these characters come to life yet again. The first movie proved to be very “popular,” as it should, but if you don’t have three hours to spare to watch Wicked again, here is a quick recap.
Wicked was released back on November 22, 2024. As some of us may know, Wicked is based on the Broadway musical Wicked which premiered on October 30, 2003. Both the movie and the Broadway show follow the story of the witches of Oz, Glinda Upland (Ariana Grande), miss popular, and Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), the outcast. The film starts off with the opening music number “No One Mourns The Wicked” as Glinda arrives at Munchkinland to deliver the news of the death of the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba). Here we also learn that Elphaba is the product of an affair between her mother and a sales merchant.
“Is it true you were her friend?” initiates a flashback to the start of when Glinda and Elphaba met at Shiz University. After Elphaba’s “magical” outburst, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), Shiz’s dean of Sorcery Studies, extends an invitation to Elphaba to enroll in her sorcery seminar. This then leads to Glinda’s accidental volunteering to share a room with Elphaba. Due to Glinda’s popularity and Elphaba’s lack thereof, these two don’t seem to get along at the start. The song “What Is This Feeling?” says it all. Later on, we learn from Professor Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), a goat professor, that the animals in Oz are disappearing and losing the ability to speak – and Elphaba reassures him that she will ask the Wizard for help.
Rebellious student Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey) enchants us in “Dancing Through Life” (one of the best songs ever!!) and convinces the students to have a party at the Ozdust Ballroom. Glinda convinces her admirer, Boq Woodsman (Ethan Slater), to take out Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode). This act leads Elphaba to convince Madame Morrible to accept Glinda in her sorcery seminar. Elphaba arrives at the Ozdust, where she is made fun of for the pointed hat that Glinda gave to her as a joke. Glinda learns what Elphaba did for her and joins her in a dance, and the two become friends, as we see in “Popular.”
Professor Dillamond is removed from his teaching position and is replaced by Professor Nikidik (Colin Carmichael), who demonstrates that animals should be in cages by bringing a lion cub trapped in one. Elphaba’s anger causes her to accidentally spread poppies over the room, leading to the students falling asleep – except Fiyero and herself. Both of them free the cub while tensions are in the air, and we learn of Elphaba’s feelings for Fiyero in “I’m Not That Girl.”
Lastly, Elphaba receives an invitation from the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum), who has heard of her powers from Morrible, which she accepts – and she is accompanied by Glinda. They get to the Emerald City where they meet the Wizard, and Morrible also arrives to witness Elphaba’s use of the grimmerie, an ancient spellbook. Elphaba uses a levitation spell, causing the monkey guards to grow wings. The Wizard and Morrible celebrate the fact that they can have “spies in the skies,” which causes Elphaba to realize that they are the ones behind the animal disappearances. We also learn here that the Wizard has no real power and used Elphaba to do his bidding.
Enraged and horrified, Elphaba grabs the grimmerie and escapes. Morrible urges Glinda to follow Elphaba to convince her to go back and apologize. However, Elphaba has values and beliefs she stands on (period, girl). Plus, Morrible makes a public statement calling her a “wicked witch.” During this, we see Fiyero leaving Shiz on horseback and Governor Thropp (Andy Nyman) having a heart attack while Nessarose listens to the news. Elphaba uses the levitation spell once again on a broom and invites Glinda, but she refuses. The two share a very emotional duet (love “Defying Gravity” :)) and Elphaba makes an escape on her broom – marking the ending of Part One.
This recap has made me want to watch Wicked again – which you can also do on November 21, 2025. Selected theaters are doing a double feature where you can watch both Wicked and Wicked: For Good. Knowing me, I will sit for five hours to watch both films. Ughh, I can’t wait any longer!!