Wicked: For Goodis the second part of Jon M. Chu’s cinematicWickedadaptation, drawn from the events of the Broadway production of the same name. The first movie was a huge success, receiving several nominations at the Academy Awards, and was widely accepted by the theater community for its unwavering loyalty to the original production. The film even includes a dual cameo from Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, who originally played Glinda and Elphaba on Broadway. However, it’s been confirmed that theseBroadway stars won’t return inWicked: For Good.
Instead, the second movie will be a much darker and more character-driven expansion of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda’s (Ariana Grande) storylines, gradually building towards their rivalry inThe Wizard of Oz. The firstWickedmovie did an excellent job of setting up the complex dynamic between these two characters, andWicked: For Goodwill complicate this relationship even further through political turmoil and personal conflicts. With some new character decisions andmajor musical changes inWicked: For Good, it’s important that the film doesn’t distract itself with more cameos.
It’s Good Wicked 2 Won’t Bring Back The Musical’s Original Stars
Although it’s disappointing that Menzel and Chenoweth aren’t going to appear in the second part of theWickedmovie adaptation, it’s ultimately the right decision. The pair already had their special moment in the first movie, andanothercameo would dilute the effect of the first one. It was thrilling to see their faces in the Emerald City again, butbringing them back inWicked: For Goodruns the risk of it feeling forcedand undoing much of the goodwill that their first cameo inspired among long-time fans of the Broadway production.
Menzel and Chenoweth’s cameos inWickedare fun because they’re not distracting or jarring; general audiences who don’t know the history of the Broadway show wouldn’t have been confused by their appearance, because they’re simply included as additional characters. If they came back inWicked: For Good, those same audiences may begin to question why these seemingly unimportant figures are backagain, distracting them from the overall story of the sequel.
Additionally,there is a sense of “passing the torch” inWickedthat makes Menzel and Chenoweth’s cameos impactful.Seeing the original Broadway stars alongside Grande and Erivo is a very touching moment, letting them say goodbye to these characters while introducing the new generation’s Elphaba and Glinda. This effect would be lessened if Menzel and Chenoweth came back inWicked: For Good, implying that the torch has not been fully passed.
Wicked 2 Can Take Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande’s Versions Of Elphaba & Glinda To New Heights
The Two Actresses Need To Be The Focus Of The Movie
If Grande and Erivo are to be fully accepted as the “new” Elphaba and Glinda, the upcoming sequel should never lose its focus on their success. These two actresses need to be entirely in the spotlight for this movie to work, especially since the second half of this narrative is so expressly focused on their dynamic as friends-turned-enemies. The first half is very fast-paced and plot-heavy, so there was some room to include Menzel and Chenoweth without undermining the new actresses, butFor Goodis such an obvious character study that they’d simply feel out of place.
The story ofWicked: For Goodis much darker and more intense, so it makes sense that both Erivo and Grande could be pushed to new heights by the emotional stakes of the story. Both delivered brilliant performances inWicked, but this sequel has all the potential needed to elevate them further. Whether it’s the new musical numbers, the complex political rivalries, or the heartbreaking character drama, there’s so much happening inWicked: For Goodthat it simply doesn’t make sense to take away from Grande and Erivo’s inevitably fierce performances with more lighthearted cameos.
Wicked: For Good
Cast
Wicked: For Good concludes the two-part film adaptation of the acclaimed Broadway musical.
Wicked
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
