Wicked: For Good, the second half of Jon M. Chu’s two-part adaptation of the Broadway musical, closed out Elphaba and Glinda’s story in theaters on November 21, 2025. It was one of the most anticipated sequels of the year — the first “Wicked” had turned a stage musical into a genuine box-office and cultural phenomenon, and “For Good” had to land the emotional payoff of the story’s second act. Nearly a year later, the film has finished its theatrical run, crossed half a billion dollars worldwide, and is now streaming on multiple platforms. Here’s where to watch it, who’s in it, what it’s actually about, and how it stacks up against the first movie and the stage show it’s based on.
Where to Stream Wicked: For Good Right Now
In the US, Wicked: For Good is streaming on Peacock, where it arrived on March 20, 2026, with a sing-along version, a full-length commentary track from director Jon M. Chu, and deleted scenes included. It later moved to Netflix as well, as part of a licensing deal with Universal, landing there on July 20, 2026.
In the UK, the film streams on Sky Cinema and NOW (with a Cinema Membership), which went live on July 10, 2026. It’s also available to rent or buy digitally through Prime Video, Apple TV, and other major digital retailers in both regions if you don’t have access to those subscriptions.
Full Cast: Who’s Who in Oz
The principal cast from the first film returns in full for the second half of the story:
- Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West
- Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland, Glinda the Good
- Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, now captain of the Wizard’s guard
- Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz
- Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
- Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Elphaba’s sister
- Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman
- Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Colman Domingo, and Peter Dinklage round out the supporting cast
Jon M. Chu returns as director for both halves, having shot the two films back-to-back rather than treating “For Good” as a separate production.
The Story: What Act Two Is Actually About
Without spoiling specifics, “Wicked: For Good” adapts Act Two of the stage musical, which is a looser, more original expansion beyond Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel than Act One was. The film picks up with Glinda and Elphaba estranged, living with the consequences of the choices they made at the end of the first movie. Glinda has fully embraced her role as “Glinda the Good,” the glamorous public face of Oz’s government, touring the Emerald City and basking in adoration. Elphaba, meanwhile, is still on the run, hunted as a dangerous witch while an authoritarian crackdown on Oz’s talking-animal population escalates under Madame Morrible’s propaganda campaign.
The second half runs in parallel to the original “Wizard of Oz” story, meaning Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion all eventually enter the picture. The core of the film, though, stays focused on Elphaba and Glinda’s fractured friendship, and whether two people on opposite sides of a widening political divide can find their way back to each other.
The Trailer That Built the Hype
Universal released the final trailer for “Wicked: For Good” on September 24, 2025, almost exactly two months ahead of release. It opened on Glinda’s rise under Madame Morrible’s guidance, showing her touring the Emerald City and descending in her signature pink bubble, before cutting to Elphaba reemerging to fly above the city and write “Our Wizard lies” across the sky. The trailer also gave the first real look at Dorothy and her companions, including a moment where the Wizard sends them after Elphaba’s broom as “proof” of her death. Musically, it leaned on “Thank Goodness” for Glinda’s public-facing glee and teased both “No Good Deed” and the title song “For Good” for the film’s emotional back half — without giving away how either number actually plays out on screen.
How It Compares: Critics vs. Audiences, and the Book
“Wicked: For Good” landed a 69% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, a real step down from the first film’s 88%. Critics were split: some praised Erivo and Grande’s performances as carrying real emotional weight through a heavier, slower-paced back half, while others found the film stretched thin trying to cover all of Act Two’s plot threads. Audiences, notably, disagreed with the critics almost entirely — the film’s audience score sat around 97% fresh, one of the widest critic-audience gaps of any major release in 2025.
Compared to Gregory Maguire’s original novel, the film (like the stage musical it’s adapting) departs significantly in its second half, building out an ending that’s considerably more redemptive and hopeful than the book’s far darker, more cynical conclusion. If you came to the movies through the musical rather than the novel, the ending will land as intended; if you’re a die-hard book reader, expect a noticeably different tone by the finale.
Our Take
“Wicked: For Good” works best as a conclusion rather than a standalone watch — it leans hard on the emotional investment the first film built, and the pacing genuinely does slow down in the middle stretch as it tries to fit in Act Two’s larger cast of characters. That said, Erivo’s “No Good Deed” and the title duet are worth the price of admission on their own, and Grande’s performance deepens noticeably once Glinda’s public persona starts to crack. If you loved the first film, this is very much worth the watch now that it’s streaming; if you were lukewarm on “Wicked,” this one won’t convert you.
For more on the cast, check out our breakdown of Ariana Grande’s net worth and career, and if you’re looking for another musical-adjacent cast reveal, see our Children of Blood and Bone trailer breakdown, which also features Cynthia Erivo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wicked: For Good streaming yet?
Yes. It’s available on Peacock and Netflix in the US, and on Sky Cinema/NOW in the UK, alongside digital rental and purchase options on Prime Video and Apple TV.
Who stars in Wicked: For Good?
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead as Elphaba and Glinda, with Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Marissa Bode, and Ethan Slater in principal supporting roles.
Is Wicked: For Good based on the book or the musical?
It’s adapted from Act Two of the stage musical, which already departs significantly from Gregory Maguire’s original novel, particularly in its more hopeful ending.
Do I need to watch the first Wicked movie first?
Yes — “Wicked: For Good” picks up directly where the first film left off and assumes you already know the setup from the 2024 movie.
