Wicked: For Good First Reactions Revealed – How the Sequel Compares to the First Movie

Wicked was one of the most successful films last year, bringing in $756.4 million at the worldwide box office and earning numerous accolades. It was a major player on the awards circuit, receiving 10 Oscar nominations (including nods for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actress). That level of success has set the bar quite high for Wicked: For Good, which is projected to be one of the biggest movies this fall. While Wicked: For Good should be a major box office draw, fans have been curious to see if the second film can match the first in terms of quality. Endings are notoriously difficult to pull off, but it seems like director Jon M. Chu and Co. have brought the story of Elphaba and Glinda to an emotionally satisfying conclusion.

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Ahead of Wicked: For Good‘s release in late November, the first wave of reactions have popped up on social media. Overall, critics think very highly of the movie, praising the performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, as well as Chu’s ability to successfully expand upon the source material while staying true to the original story. Check out a sampling of tweets in the space below:

Saw wicked for good last month and believe me when i say that it expands and deepens the original source material in generally exciting and innovative ways. Cynthia and Ari take their performances to the next level with jaw dropping performances. The film fully sticks the landing
— Chris Murphy (@christress) October 28, 2025

#WickedForGood

All Good Deeds Go Rewarded in Wicked: For Good. It’s an epic and heartbreakingly tender conclusion to one of the most dynamic friendships in pop culture history. There’s a lot for fans of the Broadway show to love with butterfly kiss sized surprises in store. pic.twitter.com/lTVqbZfawH
— Destiny Jackson (@DestinyDreadful) October 28, 2025

If Wicked part one was faithful to the blueprint of the stage, Wicked: For Good builds out the world to create a full and different (but the same) and extremely emotional version of act 2.

It’s a thrill ride and a heartbreaker and it’s sexy and everything you want it to be.
— David Gordon (@MrDavidGordon) October 28, 2025

WICKED: FOR GOOD is the tricky second act handled with aplomb by director Jon M. Chu. Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo continue to own, extend and BE Glinda & Elphaba. With weaker songs, the music is still mined for everything; For Good & No Good Deed are stand-outs #WickedForGood pic.twitter.com/nfHlmBJCtN
— Tori Brazier (@dinotaur) October 28, 2025

Get ready because #WickedForGood exceeds all expectations. Jon M. Chu is a genius in the way he brings this to a close. Elphaba and Glinda’s stories are expanded, and leave you with an emotional gut punch at the end. Cynthia Erivo is magnificent, but get ready for Ariana Grande… pic.twitter.com/rozw66JyEo
— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) October 28, 2025

Is Wicked: For Good a Threat To Win Best Picture?

Assuming these reactions are a sign of what’s to come, Wicked: For Good should emerge as one of the year’s leading awards contenders. It’ll be interesting to see how it fares with voters in the build up to Oscar nominations. There are instances where sequels do not garner as much support as their predecessors. One only has to look to last year for an example of that, as Dune: Part Two won two Oscars from five nominations (after Dune won six Oscars from 10 nominations). Similarly, Avatar: The Way of Water didn’t earn as many nominations as the 2009 original. Furthermore, only six actors in history have received multiple nominations for playing the same character, a stat that seemingly doesn’t favor Erivo’s or Grande’s odds.

That said, Wicked: For Good is an epic finale, so perhaps it could go the route of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and score some big wins. The Academy could look to use Wicked: For Good as a way to reward the filmmakers for the full two-film project, recognizing the accomplishment of bringing the fan-favorite musical to the big screen. If Erivo and Grande continue to earn high marks for their performances, both could find themselves in that rare company of multiple nominations for the same role. The acting races seem fairly wide open at this point in time (though Jessie Buckley has emerged as a frontrunner for Hamnet), so Universal will surely put together a passionate campaign for their two stars.

Of course, there are other acclaimed films vying for the Best Picture win. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another is considered by some to be one of the best movies of the decade and taps into the current socio-political climate. Sinners likewise found a compelling way to blend genre entertainment with sharp social commentary, becoming a major hit in the process. Hamnet won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival, indicating sizable passion behind the project. Until the Oscar precursors start coming out and we see which awards are securing key nominations, the state of the race remains up in the air. The combination of critical praise and box office prowess makes Wicked: For Good impossible to ignore, but it isn’t poised to run away with anything just yet.

Even if Wicked: For Good falls short in terms of winning Oscars, it’s great to see it earning such enthusiastic reactions right now. The fact that Universal is allowing word of mouth to spread so far in advance is a sign the studio is very confident in the film. If executives feared that Wicked: For Good was a misfire, then the embargo likely wouldn’t have been lifted until closer to the theatrical premiere. This is an exciting development for fans of the musical; a common belief is the second act of Wicked is weaker than the first, but it sounds like Chu found a way to turn it into a powerful, cinematic conclusion.

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