What’s next for Wicked? Key details on part 2’s 2025 release

• Directed by Jon M. Chu, "Wicked: Part Two" is set to release on November 21, 2025.
• The movie was written by Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox, and Stephen Schwartz.
• Jeff Goldblum, the Wizard in the film, has hinted at new songs by Schwartz.

Fans of “Wicked” won’t have to wait long to return to the magical Land of Oz. The highly anticipated second part of the film adaptation, directed by Jon M. Chu, is set to hit theaters on November 21, 2025. This release comes almost exactly one year after the debut of the first part of the two-part adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical.

“Wicked: Part Two” will continue the story of the witches of Oz, with Ariana Grande starring as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The first film, which opened on November 22, 2024, became a massive success, earning $114 million in its opening weekend, the highest ever for a musical adaptation.

The movie is based on the 2003 Broadway musical, which was inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West”. Both the musical and the film explore the untold backstory of the witches, telling the story from their perspectives rather than the familiar tale from “The Wizard of Oz”.

Winnie Holzman, who wrote the book for the stage version, wrote the screenplay for the movie, with Dana Fox contributing to the script. Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz adapted the musical for the screen, bringing the stage songs to life on the big screen.

While the first “Wicked” movie remained very faithful to the stage production, “Wicked: Part Two” may feature some changes. Jeff Goldblum, who plays the Wizard in the film, recently shared in an interview that the second movie will include a couple of new songs written by Schwartz, which will add new layers to the story. Although the plot details remain largely under wraps, director Jon M. Chu has stated that the sequel will not stray far from the original show.

Chu explained his decision to split the story into two films, believing that doing so would provide a more emotionally fulfilling experience. "If you're going to end on ‘Defying Gravity,’ you need to set up Elphaba more than maybe the show does," he said.

The director emphasized that the film medium offers more space to explore the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda, allowing for a deeper dive into their characters' backgrounds.

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