Universal's WICKED Films - News & Discussion Thread- Page 120

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 12:19am

If it helps, I think he stayed behind to ensure Elphaba made a clean get away -- if both of them escaped, the guards would have opened fire with their ...magical blunderbusses they had at the ready.

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 12:46am

Because a bunch of guards were pointing guns at him?

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 2:02am

It seemed like her magic was limitless. It’s not clear. Can she deflect bullets? Can she knock all the soldiers over? If they are simply holding her can’t she blow them off her? I guess it’s not clear. Just a quibble. I still greatly enjoyed the film. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 8:19am

Last year, the first Wicked movie over $114,000,000 at the U.S. box office opening weekend as well as $164,200,000 worldwide. Not only that, but it also set records as the biggest global and domestic opening for a stage-to-screen musical adaptation, beating the worldwide opening of 2012's Les Misérables and domestic opening of 2014's Into the Woods.

This past weekend, both records were surpassed by the recently released Wicked: For Good. It made over $150,000,000 domestically as well as over $226,000,000 worldwide.
https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/wicked-for-good-box-office-opening-weekend-record-1236590025/

[BwayLB]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 8:45am

I went to see For Good yesterday. It still delivers despite a few flaws. But Part 1 is the stronger film

[MezzA101]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 10:35am

Wicked: How Universal's Gamble to Make Two Films Paid Off at Box Office

https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/wicked-universal-gamble-two-movies-box-office-results-1236590136/

[kdogg36]

Posted: 11/24/25 at 11:08am

KevinKlawitter said: "Wicked: For Goodsometimes feels like three different movies competing for your attention. There's the dark, postmodern take onThe Wizard of Oz, the political analogy, and then the heartfelt story of a lost friendship that may become whole again. I've never seenWickedon stage so I can't speak to how the story was expanded and adapted, but there are definitely some moments that underline how this is the second act of a show stretched out to feature length (the scattered opening reminding us of where everyone stands, reprises of songs that only appeared in the first movie, etc.)"

I haven't seen the film yet, but for what it's worth I've always thought that the stage show ends up juggling too many themes without giving any of them full justice. Of course, I'll take having too much to say over having nothing to say any day of the week.

[MagicalMusical]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 1:11am

I saw the movie Sunday, but in the middle of it I had to get some drinks for me and my friends that we ordered but were never brought to us (we were at a theater that brings your food), so I missed some stuff including "Wonderful" and the animal freeing/wedding ruining. But what I did see? It was fantastic. Near perfect. I think I had just nitpicks, like I don't remember Cynthia's laugh in the witch fight being Margaret-Hamilton-wicked enough. Yes, I agree it wasn't as good as the first film, but just because I think the first film is more powerful what with ending on "Defying Gravity" and such. The plot holes never bugged me, because I don't need magic explained or expect this to line up perfectly with The Wizard of Oz. I felt Jon M. Chu's amazing directing and added stuff and the great acting all from the first film carried over to this film, though the acting even greater here. I can't wait to see it again to see the whole thing. The ending shot was the perfect emotional clincher and I'm glad no one ruined it for me.

I will say it was a bit strange Morrible seemed subdued by Glinda a bit at first, but then you see Glinda has the Animals on her side and what they can do and it worked for me.

kdogg36 said: "Of course, I'll take having too much to say over having nothing to say any day of the week."

Absolutely. I completely agree.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 4:34pm

A Deep Dive Into the ‘Wicked: For Good’ Cast Album

https://www.vogue.com/article/a-deep-dive-into-the-wicked-for-good-cast-album

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 6:38pm

MezzA101 said: "A Deep Dive Into the ‘Wicked: For Good’ Cast Album

https://www.vogue.com/article/a-deep-dive-into-the-wicked-for-good-cast-album"

I’m annoyed there isn’t a version of the “Finale” on the soundtrack because ending with “For Good” feels so anticlimactic. I want that big “WICKED” bum bum bum bum to close it out. 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:06pm

I’ll tell you one thing. If Glinda really wanted to help out Dorothy, she would have stuck her on that express train to the Emerald City from the first movie instead of making her slog all the way down the Yellow Brick Road. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:12pm

TheQuibbler said: "MezzA101 said: "A Deep Dive Into the ‘Wicked: For Good’ Cast Album

https://www.vogue.com/article/a-deep-dive-into-the-wicked-for-good-cast-album"

I’m annoyed there isn’t a version of the “Finale” on the soundtrack because ending with “For Good” feels so anticlimactic. I want that big “WICKED” bum bum bum bum to close it out."

They stupidly put it on the Score Album that releases in 2 weeks. Its out on Spotify already, but doesn't include the speech part, just the For Good reprise section. 

[Owen22]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:13pm

How the heck are they going to justify placing Grande in SUPPORTING actress this time round?? It is clearly Glinda's film and though I didn't measure, it certainly seems Grande actually had more screen time than Erivo!

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:15pm

TheatreFan4 said: "TheQuibbler said: "MezzA101 said: "A Deep Dive Into the ‘Wicked: For Good’ Cast Album

https://www.vogue.com/article/a-deep-dive-into-the-wicked-for-good-cast-album"

I’m annoyed there isn’t a version of the “Finale” on the soundtrack because ending with “For Good” feels so anticlimactic. I want that big “WICKED” bum bum bum bum to close it out."

They stupidly put it on the Score Album that releases in 2 weeks. Its out on Spotify already, but doesn't include the speech part, just the For Good reprise section."

Thanks for the heads up, I figured it’d be on some random Target exclusive or AutoZone Special Edition or some crap. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:18pm

Owen22 said: "How the heck are they going to justify placing Grande in SUPPORTING actress this time round?? It is clearly Glinda's film and though I didn't measure, it certainly seems Grande actually had more screen time than Erivo!"

Well because she actually has a shot at winning Supporting. 

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:22pm

No way will she win the Oscar for this. She should of won for Part One. A nom yes…Oscar …no

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:25pm

WldKingdomHM said: "No way will she win the Oscar for this. She should have won for Part One. A nom yes…Oscar …no"

Considering that multiple potential Oscar nominees have not even been released yet, this opinion has no value whatsoever. 

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 7:28pm

WldKingdomHM said: "No way will she win the Oscar for this. She should of won for Part One. A nom yes…Oscar …no"

It is a very weak year for The Oscars. Any other year I'd agree, but...

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 8:13pm

TheatreFan4 said: "
They stupidly put it on the Score Album that releases in 2 weeks. Its out on Spotify already, but doesn't include the speech part, just the For Good reprise section."

I mean, it's not as stupid as not recording Wicked Witch of the East on the original cast album because of "spoilers" (spoilers on a cast album?) but still annoying...

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 8:21pm

Matt Rogers said: "I’ll tell you one thing. If Glinda really wanted to help out Dorothy, she would have stuck her on that express train to the Emerald City from the first movie instead of making her slog all the way down the Yellow Brick Road."

A firm believer that Glinda is the villain in this movie, up until Elphaba opts to "almost " kill herself for Dorothy. Half the stuff that happens to Elphaba is due to Glinda's stupidity and entitlement.

Updated On: 11/25/25 at 08:21 PM

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 8:46pm

EricMontreal22 said: "TheatreFan4 said: "
They stupidly put it on the Score Album that releases in 2 weeks. Its out on Spotify already, but doesn't include the speech part, just the For Good reprise section."

I mean, it's not as stupid as not recording Wicked Witch of the East on the original cast album because of "spoilers" (spoilers on a cast album?) but still annoying...

"

I mean, that's also not as stupid and musically boring as what they turned Wicked Witch of the East into for this movie and it's actually on the soundtrack now. Not that anybody would want to listen to it...

[Kad]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 8:52pm

Dorothy’s house was the real hero of the movie. 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/25/25 at 8:56pm

And since Dorothy wakes up and the house is intact back in Kansas - so Nessa is still alive and ready to get her revenge.

Updated On: 11/25/25 at 08:56 PM

[John Adams]

Posted: 11/26/25 at 12:07am

TheatreFan4 said: "They stupidly put it on the Score Album that releases in 2 weeks. Its out on Spotify already, but doesn't include the speech part, just the For Good reprise section."

and EricMontreal22 said: "I mean, it's not as stupid as not recording Wicked Witch of the East on the original cast album because of "spoilers" (spoilers on a cast album?) but still annoying..."

There's no question in my mind that it's all about the dinero. By putting the Finale and Glinda's speech on a separate album, "completists" will have to spend more.

There's a workaround for those who want to save some money, though, if you purchase via a digital source like Apple Music (although Apple Music really sucks lately). 

When the score album is released in a couple of weeks, you can purchase the (2) tracks a-la-carte, then manually update the track numbers, album title, and artist name data to exactly match those of the "Wicked: For Good" soundtrack. 

It's a tedious process but you only have to do it once, and if done correctly, the (2) tracks will merge onto the "...For Good" album with everything, all in one place.

Another option would be to hold off for the "Wicked Deluxe" album which seems almost inevitable.

Updated On: 11/26/25 at 12:07 AM

[joevitus]

Posted: 11/26/25 at 5:24am

Saw it last night, and I wasn't entirely able to appreciate it because, yes, right as the Universal logo appeared, a group of five sat down beside me and began talking loudly to themselves. When I said, "Please don't talk during the movie," they actually responded, "We can talk in a movie! It's loud, anyway" and told me I should move if it bothered me. I got an usher, who made them quiet down, but they still kept talking sotto-voice and making loud noises with their popcorn bags, etc. throughout the whole thing. Oznoxious.

Aaanyway...I actually liked For Good better than Part 1. I mostly preferred the way the numbers were staged in the second half, and unlike apparently nearly everyone in the known universe, I both really liked Goldblum's turn and thought Michelle Yeoh's singing voice was fine for what was required. The movie got to me emotionally in ways the first film didn't, and not because the second half is "darker" (I think this aspect of Wicked is overemphasized: the material ain't Follies). I felt the relationships were given greater depth.

Among my list of nitpicks and complaints: I wish so much of the humor weren't removed. One of the fun things about the second half of Wicked onstage is that the Wizard of Oz events going on moments before a scene begins gives the it a touch of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead that's a lot of fun. Kinda wish the induction of the Yellow Brick Road ceremony wasn't held in Munchkinland, as it winds up making us feel Oz has only three towns: that, Shiz and the Emerald CIty. I wish the movie weren't so padded out. This didn't have to be two hours just to justify being a seperate film. A brisk 90-100 minutes would have been fine. We don't need action sequences of the animals being saved, or the wedding (though juxtaposing Elphaba's moment and Glinda's was, admittedly, clever). Neither new song was needed, and I didn't really enjoy either of them (maybe they'll grow on me?). Why have Fiero basically dressed as himself as the Scarecrow? I get they can't make him look like Ray Bolger for copyright reasons, but couldn't they have made his costume some sort of combination of his guard's uniform and other discarded clothing (I can't remember if he wears the traditional Scarecrow hat)? And his makeup was pretty bad, too. We don't need a flashback to the cast frolicking in the woods in who knows what timeline (hard to believe they reunited in the forrest after "Defying Grativty" considering Nessarose was done with Elphaba the minute their dad dropped dead), or shots of Elphaba and Fiero in the desert wasteland. And why is poor Toto on a leash? 

I could say more. There are things I didn't like about either movie that carried over with both, but considering how many dreadful, dreadful stage-to-screen adaptations we've all had to sit through because we love Broadway musicals so much, I don't feel like looking a gift horse-of-a-different-color in the mouth. 

I plan to catch it again soon.