Wicked was one of the biggest hits last year, bringing in $756.4 million worldwide at the box office. In addition to being a massive commercial success, the film made waves on the awards circuit, earning 10 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture and acting nods for stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande). That level of popularity and acclaim has set the bar high for this fall’s Wicked: For Good, which serves as the grand conclusion to an emotionally charged story. With just under two months to go before the film hits theaters, Universal is generating hype and buzz with the release of the final trailer.
Universal shared the latest Wicked: For Good trailer online today, kicking off the next wave of marketing for its big holiday tentpole. The preview sets the stage for the story’s next chapter, teasing the big musical numbers, connections to The Wizard of Oz, and heartfelt interactions between Elphaba and Glinda, the latter of whom has embraced her new role as the good witch spreading encouragement across Oz. Check out the trailer in the space below:
Whereas the first Wicked film was a prequel, parts of Wicked: For Good will take place during the events of The Wizard of Oz. Fans of the musical know that in the second act (which serves as the inspiration for For Good), Madame Morrible is the one who causes the tornado that makes Dorothy’s house fly through the sky and land in Oz. The film adaptation is not shying away from these elements, as the trailer provides a clear look at the tornado sequence, and we see what looks to be Dorothy’s home crashed on the Yellow-Brick Road. While Dorothy and her Oz companions will appear in Wicked: For Good, she won’t be a main character. She’ll only be seen in glimpses throughout the film, just like in this trailer.
The preview has more complete looks at other Wizard of Oz characters, such as the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man. In the musical, the latter was originally the Munchkin named Boq, and he became the Tin Man due to a spell from Elphaba. We see what appears to be the first moments post-transformation, as the Tin Man asks someone, “What have you done to me?” This sequence could end up being one of the more poignant moments in Wicked: For Good; Elphaba cast her spell to make Boq fall in love with her sister Nessarose, but it drastically backfired and she was forced to turn him into tin to keep him alive.
Wicked: For Good needs to incorporate these Wizard of Oz elements in order to stay true to the source material, but it sounds like the filmmakers have the right approach. This is still Elphaba and Glinda’s story. They’re the main focus, even as Dorothy and her new friends are going off to see the Wizard. This is a tricky balance for projects like Wicked to pull off; it can be tempting to lean too heavily into familiar aspects for a nostalgia play, but that distracts from the narrative at hand. Director Jon M. Chu has the right idea, only offering glimpses of Dorothy’s presence, while also tapping into how someone like the Tin Man factors into Elphaba’s arc.
It’ll be interesting to see if all these pieces come together to deliver another fantasy musical that rivals or surpasses the original Wicked‘s success. It seems like a given it will be one of the biggest box office draws of the year. The bigger question concerns its awards prospects. We’ve seen recent sequels like Dune: Part Two and Avatar: The Way of Water fail to land as many nominations as their predecessors, though both of those still found their way into the Best Picture lineup. Given the pedigree involved and what will surely be a big campaign on the part of Universal, there’s a good chance Wicked: For Good earns its fair share of accolades — especially if it sticks the landing and serves as an emotional conclusion.
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