Wicked: For Good (2025) became one of the highest-grossing films of the year and is setting the stage for movie-musicals to come in the future. Despite these incredible feats, critics and audiences had mixed reactions.
Wicked: For Good opened with $223 million during the opening weekend, earning $147 million domestically and $76 million internationally. Wicked (2024) opened to $163 million during its opening weekend back in November 2024, a $70 million increase from the first film.
On movie rating site Letterboxd, Wicked For Good has an average rating of around 3.5/5 in comparison to Wicked, which has maintained a 3.8/5 since around the time of its release; both lean towards average to above average.
Wicked: For Good received a 93% score on the Popcorn Meter or a 4.6/5 from over 10,000 verified audience ratings.
Sophomore Noa Rejwan said, “I really liked the movie. My favorite part was how Glinda and Elphaba connected despite having so many differences; watching it was a great experience.”
Fan appreciation has been a key factor in the financial success of the sequel because of long-term fan dedication to the Wizard of Oz universe since the year 1900, containing movies like Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, and Oz the Great and Powerful.
Another reason is because of its iconic soundtrack with songs like For Good and No Place Like Home, the cultural relevance, and the contribution to Internet culture.
The Wicked cast, specifically Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), Ariana Grande (Glinda), and Michelle Yeoh (Madam Morrible), has gained more fame for their memes that have emerged during the press tours of the movie, which have caused fans to become invested in the Wicked movies.
Though audience ratings have been predominantly positive or neutral, critics’ views, on the other hand, have shifted towards the negative side.
Critics did not think the same as the audience. Critics’ ratings and thoughts on Wicked: For Good ranged from neutral to negative.
The critical consensus of Wicked: For Good, according to Rotten Tomatoes, was a “darker tone” and “unhurried pacing.”
Maxacane Vincent, a movie critic, wrote a review for Rotten Tomatoes, rating it a 1 out of 5 and saying, “Fans of the show know that the post-intermission half of Wicked is much darker and leans more into direct references to The Wizard of Oz than the first half. Yet, that doesn’t mean that every scene should look this murky and unimaginative.”
The industry, central figures and major bodies are sending mixed signals about Wicked: For Good just ahead of award season.
At the 83rd Golden Globes, Wicked: For Good received 5 nominations, compared to the first film, which received 4 nominations at the 82nd ceremony.
Both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were nominated for acting awards there, for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical/Comedy, respectively. However, Erivo’s chance of being nominated at the 98th Academy Awards is diminishing, while Grande’s is not only increasing, but she also has a chance of winning.
Junior Rachel Hyman said, “Not only should they be nominated, but they should win the Oscar! After all of the hard work and dedication they put into the movie, they deserve it.”
The mixed reactions raised questions about what major studios care more about between revenue or critical acclaim.
This is a pattern that the Wicked Broadway show faced upon its Broadway debut in 2003. The show was highly acclaimed and beloved by its audience, but critics didn’t.
However, it is still running on Broadway to this day, after over 22 years, multiple national and international tours, and a West End cast.
For Wicked: For Good, it is clear that major studios care about audience approval for the Wicked films.
Universal Studios, the production company for the Wicked duology, is apparently considering ways to expand the franchise to a third feature film, according to Vanity Fair, partially due to the popularity of the duology.
Director Jon M. Chu told Variety that there are “a lot of ideas” for a potential third movie. As of now, there are no confirmations of a Wicked 3; however, one may come at some point.
