Wicked: For Good Sets Nov. 26, 2025 Release as Dorothy’s Mystery Casting Sparks Fan Theories
When Wicked: For Good hits theaters on , it won’t just be the sequel fans have waited for—it’ll be the moment the myth of Oz finally bends to the weight of its own emotional truth. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the follow-up to last year’s record-breaking Wicked picks up the moment the first film ended: Elphaba’s green skin glistening under the moon, Glinda’s smile frozen mid-laugh, and the yellow brick road stretching between them like a wound. This isn’t just fantasy—it’s a political allegory dressed in glitter and brooms, and the stakes have never been higher.
The Fracture in Oz
Where the stage musical gave Elphaba and Glinda a few fleeting scenes together after their falling-out, Wicked: For Good spends nearly half its runtime on their fractured bond. According to director Jon M. Chu, the film’s core isn’t magic—it’s loyalty. "What we really focused on was, no matter what, it’s always about either one of them or their relationship," he told Entertainment Weekly. That means extended duets, tear-streaked confrontations, and a jaw-dropping sequence captured in the September 2024 trailer: Glinda, now the Wizard’s chief propagandist, slams her wand against Elphaba’s broom on the yellow brick road, sparks flying like broken promises.
Their roles have inverted. Elphaba, once the outcast, now leads a rebellion against the Wizard’s regime, using her powers to expose corruption. Glinda, once the golden girl of Shiz University, has become the face of state propaganda, her songs now serving as tools of fear. And behind it all? Universal Pictures has quietly restructured the entire second act of Stephen Schwartz’s original musical to deepen their emotional arc. The result? A story that feels less like a musical and more like a Shakespearean tragedy set in a land of talking animals and flying monkeys.
The Cast That Didn’t Miss a Beat
Every single actor from Part One returns, and their chemistry hasn’t just held—it’s deepened. Cynthia Erivo, born in Haringey, London, brings a raw, almost terrifying vulnerability to Elphaba. Her performance in the first film earned her an Oscar nomination; this time, she’s playing a woman who’s stopped begging for acceptance—and started demanding justice.
Meanwhile, Ariana Grande transforms Glinda from bubbly ingenue to chillingly composed politician. Her voice, once a symbol of innocence, now carries the weight of complicity. Supporting them are Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, now torn between love and duty; Jeff Goldblum as a Wizard who’s less wizard and more warlord; and Michelle Yeoh, whose Madame Morrible is more terrifying than ever—her smile never reaches her eyes.
Standout newcomer Marissa Bode plays Nessarose, Elphaba’s wheelchair-bound sister, whose descent into bitterness becomes the catalyst for the revolution. And yes, Peter Dinklage still voices Dr. Dillamond, the goat professor whose persecution mirrors real-world discrimination. His final scene, whispered in a dim cell, may be the most haunting moment in the entire film.
Dorothy: The Ghost in the Machine
Here’s the twist no one saw coming: Dorothy doesn’t appear face-on—not once. Instead, she’s shown from behind, in shadows, or through windows, always just out of reach. "I think that’s such a wonderful thing to do," Cynthia Erivo told Parade, "because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy that they know." It’s a brilliant narrative choice: the legend of Dorothy is so powerful, the film doesn’t need to show her to make her presence felt.
Speculation is running wild over who’s playing her. The name most often whispered? Alisha Weir, the 15-year-old Irish actress who stunned audiences in Abigail last year. Her eerie stillness and quiet intensity make her a perfect fit—especially if the film hints at her future role as the outsider who’ll one day "accidentally" destroy the Wizard’s regime. Universal has stayed silent, but insiders say Weir was the only actress who read the script and immediately understood: "She’s not the hero. She’s the reckoning."
The Private Screening and the Delayed Trailer
On , the Directors Guild of America Theater in Manhattan hosted a private screening attended by Ariana Grande, Jon M. Chu, Broadway stars Ben Platt and Stephen Schwartz, and even members of the current Broadway cast. Attendees reportedly left in stunned silence—then erupted into applause.
Why wasn’t the trailer shown at Super Bowl LIX? Because the VFX weren’t ready. Jon M. Chu turned down the $7 million slot, a rare move for a studio tentpole. "I’d rather wait than give people a half-baked version of what this is," he said. The full trailer is now expected to drop in May 2025, just as the first film’s "First Look" did during Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024.
Why This Matters
This isn’t just a sequel. It’s a cultural reset. Wicked redefined what a musical adaptation could be—visually lush, emotionally raw, politically sharp. Wicked: For Good takes that further. It asks: What happens when the villain becomes the revolutionary? When the heroine becomes the oppressor? And when the legend we’ve been told all our lives… was never the whole story?
With a $150 million budget, a cast of Oscar nominees, and a narrative that refuses to let its characters off the hook, this film could be the most talked-about musical since Hamilton. And if the whispers about Alisha Weir are true, it might just be the beginning of a new cinematic icon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Dorothy’s face never shown in Wicked: For Good?
Director Jon M. Chu and the filmmakers made a deliberate choice to keep Dorothy as a mythic, off-screen force—preserving her iconic status from the 1939 film while reframing her as a symbol of inevitable change. Her presence is felt through whispers, shadows, and the Wizard’s orders to hunt Elphaba, making her more powerful unseen than if she’d been fully revealed. This mirrors how the original musical uses her as a narrative device rather than a character.
Who is playing Dorothy, and is it confirmed?
While Universal Pictures has not officially confirmed the casting, multiple industry insiders and casting directors point to 15-year-old Irish actress Alisha Weir as the frontrunner. Weir, known for her chilling performance in the 2024 horror film Abigail, possesses the quiet intensity and emotional depth needed for a role that’s defined by absence. Her rumored audition tape reportedly moved producers to tears—though no official announcement is expected until the film’s marketing campaign launches in spring 2025.
How does Wicked: For Good differ from the Broadway musical?
The film expands the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda far beyond the stage version, giving them nearly 40 minutes of shared screen time instead of just a few scattered scenes. It also restructures the political arc, making Glinda’s transformation into a propagandist more gradual and psychologically complex. Key songs like "Wonderful" are reimagined as chilling state anthems, and the finale replaces the musical’s ambiguous ending with a deliberate, emotionally devastating confrontation that sets up a potential third film.
Will there be a third Wicked movie?
While no official announcement has been made, Universal Pictures has already secured the rights to adapt the full Wicked novel trilogy, and director Jon M. Chu has confirmed in interviews that he’s mapped out a three-film arc. The ending of Wicked: For Good deliberately leaves the Wizard’s regime in tatters, with Dorothy approaching Oz’s gates—and Elphaba and Glinda staring at each other across a battlefield. That’s not an ending. It’s a prologue.
What’s the significance of Kerry Ellis’s cameo?
Kerry Ellis, who originated Elphaba in both the West End and Broadway productions of Wicked, appears briefly as a citizen of Oz during the rebellion scene. Her cameo is a quiet tribute to the musical’s legacy—and a nod to fans who’ve followed the story for decades. Ellis reportedly filmed her scene in a single take, wearing the same green dress she wore on stage in 2006. When asked why she agreed to appear, she simply said: "Someone had to be there to remember how it began."
Why was the release date set for November 26, 2025?
November 26, 2025, falls on a Wednesday, a rare release date for a major musical, but strategically chosen to avoid the crowded Thanksgiving weekend and capitalize on the post-holiday box office surge. It also marks the exact one-year anniversary of Part One’s release, creating a built-in promotional cycle. The date is rumored to have been personally approved by Stephen Schwartz, who considers November the "season of change"—fitting for a story about identity, power, and redemption.