Universal's WICKED Films - News & Discussion Thread- Page 124

[Bette's Turban]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 9:53am

TheOtherOne2 said: "Why on earth should any of them have been nominated two years in a row for the same production? They suckered millions of dollars out of people. They don't need Oscars, too."

Well.. they didn’t sucker anything out of anybody.  And the expectation was that Ariana would be nominated . Don’t act like a know it all.  

[Kad]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 10:07am

Although the movie wasn’t nearly as well-received as part one, there was definitely an assumption it would receive at least some token nominations in creative categories, Best Song, possibly Supporting Actress. But Supporting Actress turned out to be very competitive this year with acclaimed performances in better received movies and I suspect there was a feeling the film’s design work was already awarded sufficiently last year. 
I thought one of the original songs would get into Best Song, owing to Schwartz’s reputation, the prospect of getting Grande or Erivo to perform, and the category’s generally questionable nominating choices over the years. But the two songs were just so unmemorable, it’s like they never existed at all. 

[tomorrowBIGLITES]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 10:35am

Watching it again, it feels so absolutely weak.

There’s almost a tv episode of that ABC fan fictiony fairy tale show “Once Upon a Time” feel to the thing.

It doesn’t spring to life the way the first film did.

It brought forward the structural issues of the stage show in Act Two WAY stronger. They aren’t nearly as glaring when you watch the broadway show cause it moves so fast.

And I really think the new songs are part of what killed it.

There is not one single moment in this that excels beyond “Defying Gravity”, “No Good Deed” comes close, but again- for what? She puts Dorothy in a cellar. We don’t really see this BIG transition to Wicked that she promises the audience at the end of that song.

She folds pretty quickly. 

No one should be shocked this movie walks away empty handed.

[joevitus]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 10:52am

It's astonshing to see the tide turn against this movie. There was always a sense that the second film couldn't live up to the first because of the inherant issues of Act 2 in the source material, but this is the biggest sea change of opinion on a movie I can remember since people reevaluated The Phantom Menace.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 11:01am

tomorrowBIGLITES said: "No one should be shocked this movie walks away empty handed."

But not empty pocketed. The only other Oscar nominated movie besides Sinners and F1 that was a commercial success. Every nominated movie besides those 3 was a flop.

[Theatrefan2]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 11:06am

TheOtherOne2 said: "Why on earth should any of them have been nominated two years in a row for the same production? They suckered millions of dollars out of people. They don't need Oscars, too."

 

Yeah I bought this on digital release (assuming id like it) and admit i regret it. One of the worst movies ive seen in a while that somehow makes the second act even worse.

It reminds me a bit of how the final Game of Thrones season ruined the whole shows legacy.

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:12pm

I wonder what really happened to the movie ? Did they need to rush it ? Why did they spilt it in two because of the producers ? Did they filmed the second half first? It seems like it was done by two different directors 

Props to Ariana thou. Clearly she deserved the nom (I don’t get the hype over Teyana)

[tomorrowBIGLITES]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:23pm

WldKingdomHM said: "I wonder what really happened to the movie ? Did they need to rush it ? Why did they spilt it in two because of the producers ? Did they filmed the second half first?It seems like it was done by two different directors

Props to Ariana thou. Clearly she deserved the nom (I don’t get the hype over Teyana)"


I think to do a Part Two film successfully, they needed to overhaul Act Two and risk alienating the Wicked fans.

Elphaba is so aimless and the Wizard of Oz midquel tie in hobbles how much they can stretch.

Or they could’ve done a rushed Act Two in one movie and stayed faithful, and it would be flawed still but then at least in the same movie you still have “Defying Gravity” and “Popular” to smooth it over. That’s why people don’t care about the flaws in the stage show that much. There’s still enough fun.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:27pm

This film was never going to win any Oscars. It was not comparable in things like cinematography with films like One Battle After Another, Train Dreams, or Marty Supreme. It was a fluffy good time and their box office achievement is something to be very proud of. The second one was much weaker anyways.

[gibsons2]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:46pm

Sutton Ross said: "Thisfilmwasnever going to win any Oscars. It wasnot comparable in things likecinematographywith films like One Battle After Another, Train Dreams, or Marty Supreme. It was a fluffy good time and their box office achievement is something to be very proud of. The second one was much weaker anyways."

I've yet to see Train Dreams.  My personal favorite of 2025 was Bugonia which I saw at least 5 times. Every time I watch it, I can't help but thinking it'll be a perfect stage play.  

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:48pm

Bugonia was amazing. No one is doing it like Emma/Yorgos.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:55pm

gibsons2 said:  I've yet to see Train Dreams. My personal favorite of 2025 was Bugonia which I sawat least 5 times. Every time I watch it, I can't help but thinking it'll be a perfect stage play."

Oh man, I absolutely LOVED Bugonia, just stunning, and it absolutely would be a great play. Train Dreams is excellent, as is Sentimental Value. So much brilliant cinema this year. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:56pm

One theatre-themed movie from this year's Oscar nominations that may fly under people's radars - Kokuhô, nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. It's a Japanese drama about the orphaned son of a Yakuza family who is taken in by a family of Kabuki theatre actors and eventually rises to prominence as an actor himself.

The movie was a huge hit in Japan and received, I believe, 17 nominations at Japan's Academy Awards.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 12:56pm

I agree with Sutton. In hindsight, I'd add: the decision to turn Wicked into two films was a sound - even brilliant - commercial decision yet a questionable one artistically. The second film is harder to even remember, 6 weeks after a viewing. It doesn't have the event status, and only one standalone signature numbers; and even its high points are buried in a lot of expository sequences to move the story's wrap-up forward. I now see how one brilliant 3 hour movie might've served as a satisfying translation of the stage show. For Good will never have the kind of word of mouth the first film did. 

[TheOtherOne2]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 1:20pm

TotallyEffed said: "Bugonia was amazing. No one is doing it like Emma/Yorgos."

Bugonia is wonderful, but I think its best performance is given by Jesse Plemons. All five nominees for Best Actor are deserving, but I wish Jesse had gotten in there somehow. 

 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 1:21pm

TheOtherOne2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Bugonia was amazing. No one is doing it like Emma/Yorgos."

Bugonia is wonderful, but I think its best performance is given by Jesse Plemons. All five nominees for Best Actor are deserving, but I wish Jesse had gotten in there somehow."

 

I wasn't surprised about Wicked being shut out, but Plemons and Mescal not getting nominated is definitely a bummer.

 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 1:32pm

TotallyEffed said: "TheOtherOne2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Bugonia was amazing. No one is doing it like Emma/Yorgos."

Bugonia is wonderful, but I think its best performance is given by Jesse Plemons. All five nominees for Best Actor are deserving, but I wish Jesse had gotten in there somehow."



I wasn't surprised about Wicked being shut out, but Plemons and Mescal not getting nominated is definitely a bummer.

"

Agreed, it's shocking.  And yet Jacob Elordi was nominated for basically just sighing the entire time. As much as I love DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan, both of their movies had supporting cast shine in their roles, not the  leading actors. But, all in all, 2025 was an amazing year for movies. 

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 1:49pm

gibsons2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "TheOtherOne2 said: "TotallyEffed said: "Bugonia was amazing. No one is doing it like Emma/Yorgos."

Bugonia is wonderful, but I think its best performance is given by Jesse Plemons. All five nominees for Best Actor are deserving, but I wish Jesse had gotten in there somehow."



I wasn't surprised about Wicked being shut out, but Plemons and Mescal not getting nominated is definitely a bummer.

"

Agreed, it's shocking.And yet Jacob Elordi was nominated for basically just sighing the entire time. As much as I love DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan, both of their movies had supporting cast shine in their roles, not the leading actors. But, all in all, 2025 was an amazing year for movies."

Eldori gave a remarkable physical performance - he might not have had much dialogue, but there was a lot more going on than "just sighing the entire time".

[gibsons2]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 2:00pm

KevinKlawitter said: "Eldori gave a remarkable physical performance - he might not have had much dialogue, but there was alot more going on than "just sighing the entire time"."

Meh. He wasn't that great, neither was the film itself. A snoozefest, mostly. Plemons and Mescal both gave mind blowing, nuanced performances and both of their movies were phenomenal. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 2:09pm

These men are all extraordinary actors and there is a reason why Jacob is not included. He can't act and he's boring. He sighs and groans in Frankenstein and then bitched about how long it took to be in makeup. Cool story bro. Next. 

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/2026-hollywood-portfolio-cover

[Ball of Buttah]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 2:16pm

gibsons2 said: "KevinKlawitter said: "Eldori gave a remarkable physical performance - he might not have had much dialogue, but there was alot more going on than "just sighing the entire time"."

Meh. He wasn'tthat great,neither was the film itself. A snoozefest, mostly. Plemons and Mescal both gave mind blowing, nuanced performances and both of their movies were phenomenal."

Right? For a "horror" movie, sooooo boring. I was waiting for it to be thrilling, then it just ended. 😒

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 2:44pm

Frankenstein, to me, is the Oscar villain: a movie with 9 nominations, including Best Picture, that nobody seems to like very much. It’s kind of baffling.

 

[rg7759]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 2:45pm

Avatars costumes consist of 1 thong. They hated wicked so much they would rather vote for a thong

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 2:55pm

Wicked won for costumes last year. It's essentially the exact same project two years in a row. Sure, there were some new costumes for the second part but they were already awarded for their design work. It's time to move on.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 1/22/26 at 3:34pm

They should have just made this whole thing a 3.5 hour movie. For Good felt like letting air out of the balloon. A movie people went to see out of obligation instead of interest. Everyone knows Act 2 isnt as good as Act 1, but this time you got to walk away for a year before seeing to confirm that yes... Act 2 is still Mid and you made it longer and added, essentially, nothing to goings on. Same thing they did in the first movie, but again... Act 1 will always be better.