Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: Universal Pictures, wicked, Wicked: For Good

Universal Claims Wicked Could Still Get More In-Universe Stories

NBCUniversal Entertainment Chair suggests the Wicked franchise could continue in other ways after two popular installments.

Wicked has always had expansive world-building energy baked into its DNA. The story first began as Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, then became the long-running Broadway phenomenon from composer Stephen Schwartz and writer Winnie Holzman, reframing Oz through Elphaba and Glinda long before Dorothy ever lands. Now, years later, Jon M. Chu's film adaptation leaned into that scale by telling the musical as a two-chapter event, and the gamble paid off with a mainstream cultural moment that pulled in diehard theater kids, casual moviegoers, and plenty of people who simply wanted a big screen spectacle.

That appetite is especially easy to see in the numbers. During its theatrical run, Wicked brought in about $758.8 million worldwide, with Wicked: For Good adding roughly $525.8 million, pushing the combined global total past $1.28 billion. At that point, the question basically shifts from whether audiences will show up to what, exactly, a studio can responsibly do next with a world this beloved. And apparently, NBCUniversal Entertainment chair Donna Langley is now hinting that Oz might not be finished on screen.

Wicked Could Get Additional Stories (in Some Capacity)

Speaking to Variety, she said, "It's very early days on Wicked, but we are hopeful that after the amazing success that we've seen with the two movies, there are other ways that we could branch out with the world-building. And, of course, we do that with our rights holders and in conjunction with them, so when they're ready." The key phrase there is "in conjunction," because Wicked has a lot attached to it.

The stage musical, the Maguire novel, and the broader Wizard of Oz legacy each come with their own guardrails, and anything beyond the two films needs to fit inside that reality, regardless of demand from fans. Still, the notion of world-building could cover a lot of ground, including additional film stories in Oz, limited series expansions, or even experiential extensions that feel closer to what Universal has done with other major IPs.

Both entries of Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda alongside Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. The first film is available to rent or buy via digital and physical media, while Wicked: For Good is currently available to rent and purchase across all digital retailers.

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