Jon M. Chu decided early on in development to split “Wicked” into two films, saying it was one of the most important decisions he made during pre-production.
Though some fans may have assumed the first part’s nearly three-hour runtime would have encompassed both acts of the musical adaptation, “Wicked: Part Two” will not arrive until next November.
The director said that it would be a disservice to the fans and the story to try to squeeze both acts into one film, telling TheWrap that both parts of “Wicked” were greenlit simultaneously by Universal.
“If you’re going to make two movies and each is going to be great on its own, then you have to commit to that. You have to then make that first movie as great and emotionally satisfying as possible,” Chu told TheWrap. “You won’t do that if you always have a back door to do one movie. You’ll never get there.”
Here is all you need to know about “Wicked: Part 2.”
When does “Wicked: Part 2” come out?
“Wicked 2” will hit theaters on Nov. 21, 2025, almost a year to the day following the first part’s release.
What will “Wicked: Part Two” be about?
“Wicked: Part Two” will pick up right where the first film left off after Elphaba’s showstopper “Defying Gravity.” In the Broadway musical, there is a time jump after intermission as well as a tonal shift for the characters.
Elphaba (Erivo) and Glinda (Grande) have discovered that The Wizard (Goldblum) is not who he says he is, and the people have declared Elphaba a danger to Oz. Elphaba takes off on her broomstick as she runs to seek shelter. The new chapter will delve into the events leading up to “The Wizard of Oz,” revealing how Elphaba becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, how Glinda transforms into the Good Witch and unveiling who the other characters truly are along the way.
Has “Wicked: Part 2” already been filmed?
Yes, both parts of Jon M. Chu’s adaptations were shot at the same time. The crew started production on the movie musical in December 2022 and filmed over the course of seven months, having to pause briefly for the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
Who is in the cast of “Wicked: Part 2?”
All of the actors from the first film adaptation will return for part 2.
- Ariana Grande as Glinda
- Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba
- Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero
- Ethan Slater as Boq
- Marissa Bode as Nessarose
- Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
- Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard
Is Dorothy in “Wicked 2?”
Chu has thus far remained mum about the degree to which Dorothy will appear in “Part Two,” but the “Wizard of Oz” character does play a small but crucial role in the musical.
“In movie 1, it was important to let Dorothy be how you want her to be. I didn’t want to step on your images of whatever version of Dorothy you wanted her to be,” Chu told ScreenRant. “But the presence is important because that plays a significant role in what will happen and how they intersect. That was sort of how we played with it. But you’ll have to see movie 2 to know how far we go with her.”