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The new behind-the-scenes featurette teases an emotional finale, deeper lore, and the return of Oz’s most iconic friendship
MANILA, Philippines – Elphaba and Glinda aren’t the same witches they were. Wicked: For Good picks up with the two on opposite sides of Oz, and a new look at the upcoming film shows just how far the ex-roommates have come apart.
In a newly released featurette, director Jon M. Chu, alongside Academy Award-nominated stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, explores the aftermath of the first film’s climactic fallout.
“I believe their bond is unbreakable, but it is deeply challenged by the distance they have to navigate,” Erivo, who is returning as the green-skinned Elphaba, said in the featurette. Grande, reprising her role as the charismatic Glinda, added, “These two women love each other so much, and they truly change each other for the better.”
“The effect that we have on each other is forever,” said Chu. “It is what drew me to Wicked from the very beginning.”
The featurette teases breathtaking moments long awaited by fans of the musical, Elphaba’s explosive rendition of “No Good Deed,” and a bittersweet reprise of “For Good,” the duet that lends the film its title, accompanies reels of behind-the-scenes footage and movie scenes.
Alongside the film’s songs, the preview showcases familiar touchstones of the fantasy world, including the Yellow Brick Road, Glinda’s shimmering blue gown, and Emerald City at the height of its witch hunt.
Wicked: For Good reunites the creative team behind the first musical, including award-winning composers Stephen Schwartz and John Powell, with lyrics drawn from Schwartz’s stage score and new arrangements tailored for the screen. The screenplay is written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, based on Gregory Maguire’s revisionist novel of the L. Frank Baum classic.
Producers Marc Platt and David Stone also return, alongside executive producers Schwartz, Holzman, Dana Fox, Jared LeBoff, and David Nicksay.
Returning alongside Erivo and Grande are Jeff Goldblum as Oz, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, a prince caught between the witches and his own sense of duty.
The sequel also promises to expand the Ozian mythos, teasing origin stories of the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion, and deepening the tragedy and transformation that lurks beneath the fairy tale.
The first Wicked film, released in 2024, became the most successful Broadway-to-screen adaptation to date, earning over $750 million worldwide, a Golden Globe, and 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. With For Good, Chu closes the curtain on the two witches’ grand story of friendship, identity, and transformation.
Wicked: For Good arrives in Philippine cinemas on November 19. – Angela Divina/Rappler.com
Angela Divina is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Ateneo de Manila University.
