Universal has released the full official trailer for Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated second half of Jon M. Chu’s two-part adaptation of the iconic stage musical. Take a look above and taker a deeper dive below.

Following 2024’s Wicked, which became the highest-grossing Broadway-to-film adaptation of all time and earned whopping 10 Oscar nominations (winning two: Production Design and Costume Design), this final instalment picks up with Elphaba and Glinda facing the life-altering consequences of their fractured friendship — and the fate of Oz hanging in the balance.

Elphaba in Hiding, Glinda in the Spotlight

Set several years after the events of the first film, Wicked: For Good finds Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) now demonised as the Wicked Witch of the West, living in exile and working to expose the lies of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has risen to become the radiant face of goodness in Oz — beloved by the people and controlled by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh).

As Glinda prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) in a dazzling palace wedding, she is privately tormented by the choices that tore her and Elphaba apart. The trailer hints at a crescendo of rebellion, political unrest, and personal reckoning — all set to Stephen Schwartz’s powerful act two score.

“In movie two, we get to see the consequences of those choices,” director Jon M. Chu said in an interview with Vanity Fair. “The temperature is up.”

Dorothy Steps Forward

And then there’s Dorothy. The trailer shows the iconic Kansas girl walking the Yellow Brick Road with her companions — a major shift from the stage musical, which only ever showed Dorothy as a silhouette. Chu confirmed her inclusion in the film will be far more direct than before, though he emphasised it remains in service of the central characters.

“That intersection is the place that we were first introduced into Oz,” he told Vanity Fair. We tread lightly, but try to make more sense of how it impacts our girls and our characters than maybe the show does.” He assured fans worried that Dorothy may pull focus from Elphaba and Glinda: “We’re delicate. We’re delicate. We’re delicate.”

Chu teased to CinemaBlend in December that “The Wizard of Oz and our movie intersect in movie two more than ever,” but was careful not to reveal too much. “I can’t confirm or deny how much you see of her,” he said. “I will say that I do think it’s important for, whoever Dorothy is to you, to try to respect that as much as possible.”

Music, New Songs, and a Powerful Reunion

The second act of Wicked includes some of the stage show’s most emotionally charged songs, including “No Good Deed,” “Thank Goodness,” “As Long as You’re Mine,” and the heartfelt duet “For Good.” Chu is particularly excited about how the sequel makes use of them.

“There are some bangers,” he said. “’No Good Deed’ is just a f-king banger. I don’t even know how to use safe words for that. Cynthia on that thing is just ridiculous.”

Two brand-new songs, written by musical creator Stephen Schwartz, have also been added to help flesh out the cinematic structure. “They were necessary in this movie to help tell the story,” Chu said. “To have Stephen Schwartz back behind the keys — it’s pretty extraordinary to watch him work.”

Cast, Creative Team, and Release Date

Wicked: For Good brings back much of the first film’s ensemble, including Ethan Slater as Boq, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Pfannee and ShenShen, and Sharon D. Clarke as the voice of Elphaba’s nanny, Dulcibear.

Produced by Marc Platt and David Stone, with a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the film features a score by John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, and songs by Schwartz from the original stage production.

As for what this final chapter means to the director, Chu summed it up: “I think the meat of what Wicked is all about happens in movie two. To me, this is why this story exists. This is where our childhood dreams collide with our adult selves.”

Wicked: For Good releases in Australian cinemas on November 20 and U.S. cinemas on November 21.