Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are back as Glinda and Elphaba in Wicked For Good

Any Wicked fan will tell you the second half of the stage musical struggles to match up to the dazzling heights of the first.

So, there was concern when director John M Chu announced he would be splitting the big-screen adaptation into two parts, with many wondered how this decision would work, and if the musical sequel could fix some of the on-stage wrongs.

Last year, the first Wicked movie proved to be a huge hit commercially and critically, with positive reviews for Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba and Ariana Grande’s Glinda, as well as 10 Oscar nominations and two wins.

And while admittedly the reviews for Wicked For Good are far from terrible, not every critic seems quite able to muster the same energy for the musical sequel as the original 2024 film.

Here is what critics are saying about Wicked For Good…

The Standard (5/5)

“Without being heavy-handed, Chu has transformed a fable about accepting difference into a call to action to protect one’s neighbours from cages and deportation. The new songs blend almost seamlessly, in part due to No Place Like Home hammering that theme home.

“Everything is stitched together beautifully to create an exhilarating piece of movie musical magic that re-invents the Golden Age. If it doesn’t get more Oscars I’ll eat my witch’s hat.”

The Guardian (4/5)

“It keeps the rainbow-coloured dreaminess and the Broadway show tune zinginess from part one, and we still get those periodic, surreal pronouncements given by the city’s notables to the diverse folk of Oz, those non-player characters crowding the streets.”

Elphaba arrives at a familiar sight in Wicked For Good

BBC Culture (4/5)

“Let’s be clear: the Wicked films are the definition of preaching to the choir. They aren’t likely to win over anyone sceptical of candy-coloured spectacle and overt sentimentality presented in Broadway show-stopping fashion. Wicked is what it is. But if you’re fine with that, this latest instalment is more captivating than the last and enjoyable to watch throughout.”

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