Posted in: Movies, Universal | Tagged: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Wicked: For Good

Wicked: For Good – Dorothy's Presence Will Be Felt But Not Seen

In Wicked: For Good, Dorothy is a character whose presence will be felt, but she'll be "seen largely from a distance, or from behind."

At the very beginning of Wicked, we briefly see the characters from The Wizard of Oz, but not in any detailed way. That makes sense considering the timeline of the first movie, but in the second one, the film's events play a much bigger role in the events of Wicked: For Good. Universal was already pushing things when they decided to add two new songs, a decision that could still backfire on them quite badly, but a character like Dorothy would always be one that would be hard to approach. They would either have to find someone willing to do their own thing with a relatively limited role and risk making everyone mad, or find someone willing to do a Judy Garland impression, which would likely feel inauthentic and would also piss people off.

So everyone decided not to bother. Instead, according to a new interview in Empire, "Dorothy won't exactly be a character in the film—seen largely from a distance, or from behind." So her presence will be felt, but visually, we won't see her. Star Cynthia Erivo approves of this approach, saying, "I think that's such a wonderful thing to do because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy that they know."

Dorothy's arrival in Oz in Wicked For Good impacts both Glinda's and Elphaba's lives, and she doesn't exactly show up at the most ideal time. Maybe that's why Glinda gives her directions, which are the epitome of "it's about the journey, not the destination." For Ariana Grande, she saw the move as "shady" all things considered.

"I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy," she laughs. "There's a lot going on, and she doesn't really have time to deal with this. She could have told her to take the Emerald City train! But she didn't. That's a little shady, Glinda! So I leaned all the way into Glinda, sort of having an eye roll for Dorothy whenever she has to deal with her."

The final trailer for Wicked: For Good will drop sometime today. People online are beginning to notice how subdued this marketing run has been compared to the first film. Are they going to get nervous that Universal isn't throwing all the money at this one like they did for the first film? Time will tell.

Wicked: For Good – Summary, Cast List, Release

And now, whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend …

Last year's global cinematic cultural sensation, which became the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time, now reaches its epic, electrifying, emotional conclusion in Wicked: For Good.

Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu and starring the spectacular returning cast, led by Academy Award® nominated superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz's silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).

Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.

As Glinda's stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba's sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.

As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.

Wicked: For Good also stars Emmy nominee Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Glinda's fawning assistants, Pfannee and ShenShen and BAFTA and Grammy nominee Sharon D. Clarke (Caroline, or Change) as the voice of Elphaba's childhood nanny, Dulcibear.

The film is produced by returning Tony and Emmy-winning powerhouse Marc Platt, p.g.a., and by multiple Tony winner David Stone. The executive producers are Stephen Schwartz, David Nicksay, Jared LeBoff, Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The first film, Wicked, released in November 2024, earned 10 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and won the Oscars® for Costume Design and Production Design. To date, the film has grossed $750 million worldwide.

Wicked: For Good is based on the generation-defining musical stage play with music and lyrics by legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, from the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire. The screenplay is by Winnie Holzman and Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox. The film score is by John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Wicked: For Good will be released in theaters on November 21, 2025.

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