The Wicked movie adaptation being two parts actually isn’t news, but in case you didn’t know until recently, you’re not alone.
Universal Pictures recently announced Wicked: Part Two will now be released Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, just shy of a full year after Part One’s Nov. 22 release. The 2025 film has been moved up from Wednesday, Nov. 26. This mirrors what Universal did with part one of Wicked this year. Originally set for a 2024 Thanksgiving weekend opening, part one of Wicked was moved up to avoid opening weekend competition with Disney’s Moana 2. Next year, Disney will be releasing Zootopia 2 on Thanksgiving weekend.
The video announcement features our first listen at “For Good,” an iconic song from act two of the Broadway musical that defines Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda’s (Ariana Grande) relationship. It’s just an instrumental snippet, so we don’t hear any vocals. But the music is instantly recognizable to fans of the stage show.
Considering the stage adaptation is two acts, the film adaptation is two parts and the video announcement features “For Good,” all signs point to Wicked: Part Two following a similar pace as its Broadway counterpart. That tracks with most of the footage they’ve released so far. Whether it’s Elphaba and Fiyero with the lion cub, the dance at the Ozdust Ballroom, or Elphaba being invited to meet the Wizard, Universal has been creating hype for Wicked with scenes that happen while the witches are students at Shiz University. Uncoincidentally, almost all of Act One of Wicked the Musical happens when Elphaba and Glinda are students. So it’s safe to assume part one of the Wicked movie will end like the musical: with the one and only “Defying Gravity.”
The first Wicked movie hits theaters on Friday, Nov. 22.
