'Wicked: For Good' Review: Ariana Grande's Radiant Glinda and Cynthia Erivo's Powerhouse Elphaba Lead Jon M. Chu's Musical Continuation
Wicked: For Good opens with a sense of familiarity, as if the audience is stepping back into a story mid-breath. Jon M. Chu’s decision to expand the world of Oz across two films becomes immediately clear when the second installment picks up the emotional threads left gently fluttering at the end of the first. The musical grandeur, the character arcs and the visual splendor settle in again, inviting viewers to witness Oz through a sharper, more intimate lens.
Ariana Grande shines as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo commands as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good, the sweeping continuation of Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation.
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
The shift toward Glinda is felt almost instantly. The first film belonged to Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba, the misunderstood figure whose emerald skin and fierce convictions shaped the tone of the narrative. This continuation allows Ariana Grande’s Glinda to glide into focus, her presence illuminating the screen with a mix of vulnerability, grace and unmistakable charm.
Erivo’s Elphaba appears with the same commanding energy that defined her earlier journey. Her voice carries emotional weight, revealing the inner conflict of someone painted as a villain despite a deep-rooted sense of justice. The tension between her public image and her intentions becomes a steady pulse beneath the film’s unfolding drama.
Grande’s Glinda steps forward as a character pushed beyond the sparkle and confidence she once leaned on. Her scenes reflect someone learning the cost of responsibility, the impact of heartbreak and the value of loyalty. Her clarity grows in moments where silence carries as much meaning as song, and her reactions to Morrible’s manipulation show a young woman gradually piecing together the truth of Oz’s political landscape.
The relationship between Glinda and Elphaba forms the emotional backbone of the film. Their bond deepens through shared battles, tender loyalty and an unspoken understanding built on experiences only they can fully grasp. Their harmonies during “For Good” emerge not just as a musical highlight but as the culmination of the road they’ve traveled, evoking strong reactions from viewers familiar with the show’s history.
The film reconnects to the opening moments of the first installment as Glinda descends into Munchkinland, where Elphaba’s reputation has reached new lows. Posters brand her as a threat, and Morrible’s influence spreads across Oz through a mix of propaganda and coercion. Elphaba’s quiet retreat into the forest stands in contrast to her bold flights across the sky as she intervenes to protect animals forced into labor on the Yellow Brick Road.
Themes of otherness shape the world of Oz more visibly than before. Animals once respected as members of society now require travel permits. Groups flee through the forest, fearful of what Oz has become. Stephen Schwartz’s new song “No Place Like Home” emerges during this sequence, performed by Erivo with a comforting warmth that encourages the animals to pause their desperate escape.
The moment also introduces the Cowardly Lion’s origins, folding familiar elements from The Wizard of Oz into this revised storyline. Glinda’s humorous responses to Dorothy’s offscreen appearances create lightness amid the rising tension. Her exasperated comment about Dorothy’s balloon journey adds charm to a narrative already rich with nods to the 1939 MGM classic.
Fiyero’s storyline expands through his loyalty, internal conflict and shifting relationships with both Elphaba and Glinda. Nessarose’s rise to power reshapes Oz’s political landscape and her strained bond with Boq leads naturally into the well-known Tin Man transformation. Later developments open the door to the Scarecrow’s origins, connecting threads across Oz’s broader mythology.
The supporting cast strengthens the film’s atmosphere. Michelle Yeoh delivers a sharp and calculating Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum plays the Wizard with self-serving charm, Jonathan Bailey brings steady intensity to Fiyero, and Ethan Slater and Marissa Bode offer performances filled with emotional tension.
Production design remains central to the viewing experience. Nathan Crowley’s sets and Paul Tazewell’s costumes present Oz as a world overflowing with color and texture. Alice Brooks’ cinematography swirls around characters during musical numbers, matching the spiraling emotions of devoted fans. Jon M. Chu’s direction leans toward visual abundance, especially during scenes of Ozian pageantry, capturing the grandeur expected from a story of this scale.
Stephen Schwartz’s orchestrations give the film a lush soundscape, weaving musical threads between the two installments. Glinda’s new song “The Girl in the Bubble” provides a quiet but pivotal look at her inner turmoil, performed by Grande with emotional clarity that strengthens her character and the narrative overall.
Glinda’s growth becomes the profound takeaway of Wicked: For Good, charting her emergence as a leader with stronger instincts, sharper insight and a newfound grasp of her own moral direction. The filmmakers deliver a continuation that elevates her role without altering the essence of the stage musical, creating a fuller picture of Oz’s two most iconic figures.
