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Musical fantasy film Wicked: For Good is out now in theatres.
The sequel to Wicked (2024) adapts the second act of the 2003 stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which was loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
The new film follows Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), now known as the Wicked Witch of the West, as she continues her fight for animal rights while living as a fugitive.
Meanwhile, Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande), who is now recognised as Glinda the Good, becomes a respected public figure watched over by the Wizard of Oz and Madame Morrible.
The film tackles the duo’s friendship as it is put to the test by a series of events that will change the Land of Oz forever.
The pair has also built a genuine friendship outside their portrayed characters.
Director Jon M Chu noted that he learned the lesson of authenticity through the two stars of his film.
Reflecting on his career, he opened up about how the Oz tale and its message about rejection and resilience inspired him personally.
“My whole life, I’ve been trying to prove myself, that I can be here, that I can be in this business,” he said in an interview.
“I think I was always searching for that kind of validation. But through the process of making movies and doing it over – and I had a whole long career before doing Wicked – I think I got killed many times.
“I learned so much from Elphaba and Glinda and from Cynthia and Ariana. I think I’ve gotten to let go of that idea of proving yourself,” he added.
Despite a rocky start, where two of his productions collapsed before they even began, Jon’s onscreen adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians (2018) garnered massive success.
