The Stream: A messy, disjointed collection of scenes feels like only half the story, which, of course, it is.

The Big Screen: Ariana and Cynthia singing “For Good”.

The Final Bill: Two powerhouse performances soar above this lackluster conclusion of Elphaba and Glinda’s tale.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Jon M. Chu
Writers: Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode
Genre: Musical, Fantasy
Rating: PG for action/violence, some suggestive material and thematic material.
Runtime: 2 hours 8 minutes
Production Companies: Universal Pictures, Marc Platt Productions,
Platform: In theaters November 21, 2025
Notable Trailers: Project Hail Mary, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Ella McCay,

Good news, Streamers! We’ve been holding space for Wicked: For Good since Elphaba sang the last notes of “Defying Gravity” only a year ago, and now, it’s here! In Wicked: For Good, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is in exile fighting against the tyranny of the Wizard while Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become the spokesperson for him. Elphaba, having been branded as “wicked”, and Glinda, embracing her mantle as “good”, careen toward an inevitable clash orchestrated by the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) despite the warring witches trying to hold on to their friendship. Yellow brick hijinks ensue.

As you should know, Wicked: For Good is an adaptation of the second act of Wicked: The Musical and the conclusion of the story begun in Wicked: Part 1 from last year. Therefore, this movie has to prove why it deserved to be its own feature. Unfortunately, it feels like filler and vamping until 2 hours has passed. The screenplay and the editing hinder this movie from being a tight, cohesive story in itself. While the story does continue what’s happened in the first part, it lacks the focus and energy of that movie. The scenes feel disjointed and haphazardly woven together. The narrative thread of Wicked: For Good is very thin, and therefore, it all feels almost random and a ploy to stretch this movie out. Certainly, the last 20 minutes has a number of scenes that could have been the ending to this movie, but it kept going on and on.

All of that being said, the other aspects of Wicked: Part 1 that were good are here as well, and they make this movie worth watching, even on the big screen. There are spectacular costumes throughout. Glinda’s wardrobe is gorgeous, and Elphaba looks stunning. It’s all very transportive. The design of Oz is as beautiful and eye-catching as ever. Some of the visual effects are questionable, but for the most part, they fill out the screen adequately and make Elphaba soaring through the sky thrilling. It’s entertaining and has enough energy to sustain most of its runtime. The biggest reasons to see this movie are the outstanding performances by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Grande, in particular, gets a lot to do, and she’s magnetic and emotional. Her voice is beautiful, and she brings both humor and disarming warmth to Glinda. Elphaba and Glinda’s beautiful duet, “For Good”, is worth the price of admission itself. You may even have a tear in your eye at its last note.

Ultimately, Wicked: For Good has some stunning visuals and great performances by Ariana and Cynthia, but this conclusion of the Wicked saga is clumsy and uninspiring. Sadly, the uplifting swell from the first half of the tale does not carry over to this second act. Despite all that, these lead performances grab you, and the effects and high-flying sequences warrant seeing it on the big screen. Grab a bowl of popcorn For Good *wink* measure.