Wicked: For Good Set for November 2025 Release, But Reviews Still Beyond Horizon

The Universal Pictures sequel Wicked: For Good is officially scheduled for release on November 21, 2025, but no reviews, audience reactions, or critical analyses exist — not because the film hasn’t been made, but because it hasn’t been seen. As of now, the movie remains locked in the quiet space between production and premiere, its emotional beats, musical crescendos, and tear-jerking moments still hidden from public eyes. The Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera starrer, directed by Jon M. Chu, completed filming over a year ago, yet the world is still waiting to feel what it’s like to watch Elphaba and Galinda’s final act unfold on screen.

What We Know About the Production

Principal photography for both Wicked and Wicked: For Good wrapped on July 14, 2023, at Sky Studios Elstree in Borehamwood, United Kingdom. The production, backed by producer Marc Platt and his Los Angeles-based Marc Platt Productions, had a reported budget of $70 million, though insiders told The Wrap in May 2023 that additional visual effects and post-production costs may have pushed the total closer to $100 million. The film’s score, composed by Stephen Schwartz — who also wrote the original Broadway musical — was set for release the day after the film’s debut, on November 22, 2025.

The delays weren’t just logistical. The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike froze all post-production work for months. Scenes were locked, but dialogue tweaks, sound design, and final edits stalled. For a film built on emotional precision — especially one adapting a story about friendship, betrayal, and societal prejudice — those delays mattered. Every pause gave the team more time to get it right. Or so they hoped.

The Cast That Carries the Weight

Cynthia Erivo, the Tony and Grammy-winning British performer, was cast as Elphaba long before cameras rolled. Her portrayal of the misunderstood witch has been hailed as the most vocally commanding since Idina Menzel originated the role on Broadway in 2003. Erivo’s voice, described by one early set visitor as “a hurricane wrapped in velvet,” is central to the film’s emotional core. Meanwhile, Ariana Grande-Butera brings a startling vulnerability to Galinda — not the ditzy socialite of the musical’s opening, but a woman who learns, grows, and ultimately confronts the cost of conformity.

Chu, known for his work on In the Heights and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, didn’t just direct; he became a curator of legacy. He insisted on using practical effects wherever possible — real flying rigs, hand-painted backdrops, and real rain during the “Defying Gravity” sequence. “We’re not remaking the stage,” he told Deadline in 2022. “We’re translating its soul.”

Why This Matters Beyond the Box Office

The original Broadway musical, which opened on October 30, 2003, at New York’s Gershwin Theatre, has since become a cultural touchstone — 7,489 performances and counting as of June 2024. It’s the story of two women who don’t fit in, who are labeled “wicked” because they’re different. It’s also about how society turns outsiders into villains. That theme resonates harder now than ever.

With Wicked: For Good, the stakes aren’t just about box office numbers. This is the final chapter of a story that has shaped how a generation thinks about power, identity, and redemption. The film isn’t just entertainment — it’s an emotional heirloom. And people are waiting.

What’s Next? The Waiting Game

Universal Pictures has released no trailers, no teasers, no behind-the-scenes footage since the final day of shooting. No press junkets. No cast interviews. Just silence. That’s unusual for a film with this much anticipation. Some insiders suggest the studio is holding back until the soundtrack’s release, which could serve as a soft launch. Others believe they’re waiting for the right cultural moment — perhaps after the 2024 U.S. election, when public discourse might be more receptive to stories about marginalized voices.

One thing is certain: when the film finally drops, the world won’t just watch. It will feel. And when it does, the reviews — the tears, the standing ovations, the late-night Twitter threads — will be written not by critics, but by millions who’ve waited years to see their own stories reflected on screen.

The Legacy Behind the Lens

The film is based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, which reimagined L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the Wicked Witch. The Broadway adaptation, with book by Winnie Holzman and music by Schwartz, became a phenomenon — performed in 100 cities across 16 countries. Its success led to a global franchise, including touring productions, merchandise, and even a planned theme park attraction at Universal Studios Japan.

But this isn’t just about merchandising. It’s about legacy. The original musical was a lifeline for LGBTQ+ youth, for girls who felt too loud, too dark, too much. Now, with Erivo and Grande carrying that torch into the cinematic age, the question isn’t whether the film will be good — it’s whether it can live up to the hope people have placed in it.