'Wicked for Good': The Witches Were Never Wicked — Oz Just Needed Them to Be
By Natalie McCarty
Still from Wicked for Good (2025)
To my surprise, Wicked for Good has been weirdly controversial… Did people walk in expecting Citizen Kane with witches and get mad when it was still a musical? Honestly, the discourse made me brace for disappointment, but instead I walked out wondering what exactly everyone was so upset about.
The heart of Wicked is still here, arguably even more present now. And, as a former hater of the musical, that feels like its own redemption arc; I think I actually adore it now. The film’s rendition made the story feel more alive to me, more lived-in. More grown.
In willing to lean into nuance instead of glossing over it with Broadway polish, everything feels more fleshed out — with the exception of the stupid girl-in-the-bubble song and Marissa Bode’s hideous performance. (We move.)
Still from Wicked for Good (2025)
For me, the soul of the movie is the friendship. It is the kind of connection where you don’t just love someone, you recognize yourself in them. That honesty genuinely moved me to tears.
Admittedly, I cried multiple times, because the moments felt true to life in that aching way real relationships do. Elphaba and Glinda feel painfully and beautifully human here. The movie finally lets the emotional micro-moments breathe. That is why I strongly disagree with critics who said the film felt “too rushed.” If anything, the story feels more natural and spacious than the musical ever did.
The political intentionality also deserves real credit. Jon M. Chu is not afraid to say something. In an era where most filmmakers seem terrified of meaning, he leans directly into the parallels. The ICE-style raids happening to the Animals, the surveillance, the travel bans placed on the Munchkins, the way fear takes over a nation when power goes unchecked. Wicked for Good reflects the world we are living in. With the violence and injustice happening to immigrants and American citizens right now, I am grateful the film does not shy away from that conversation. Truthfully, I think that’s where a lot of the backlash is coming from.
Still from Wicked for Good (2025)
Visually, the movie is stunning. Glinda’s wedding and Elphaba’s hideaway both feel stylized in a way that makes Oz look like a high-fashion editorial. Some of the costumes resemble those from a Margiela moodboard or a Loewe runway. They are sculptural, strange, and whimsical, but still rooted in character. The world feels lush without overwhelming the viewer. The costumes are crafted with real delicacy.
The standout moment is “As Long As You’re Mine.” In my home, that song has already gone platinum! Hearing Jonathan Bailey’s voice in a movie theater was a true gift… I digress…
Still from Wicked for Good (2025)
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande also deserve far more credit than the discourse allows. Cynthia plays Elphaba with a mix of sharpness and softness that endears you to her immediately. Ariana’s Glinda surprised me in the first film and even more in this one. She could have leaned into caricature, but she chose something more vulnerable and human. Her performance is thoughtful and intentional in a way that people are not giving her enough credit for.
And honestly, after watching it, I do understand why the PR tour for both films was so emotional. There’s something about this story — this version of it — that seems to pull something raw out of everyone involved. There’s a certain magic to it.
Also, I’d be remiss to not mention the fact that “For Good” really did change lives. Wow, wow, wow.
Still from Wicked for Good (2025)
More than anything, Wicked for Good finally lets these women be actual people. Neither of them was ever wicked. They were projected onto, mislabeled, and reshaped by a world that only knows how to see women in extremes. The two-film structure gives them room to grow in ways the original simply couldn’t. You see their contradictions, their fears, their bravery, their mistakes. Their friendship feels almost uncomfortably real, the kind that hits a nerve because it mirrors something you’ve lived through.
Maybe that is why this version hit me so hard. Our generation did not grow up with clean moral binaries. We learned that most people live in the grey. “Good” and “wicked” are usually labels handed out by people in power. Let these women be!
Still from Wicked for Good (2025)
Wicked for Good is not perfect, but it has something real to say. It has heart. It is rare for a movie to feel like both a blockbuster and a genuine conversation starter, but this one somehow does.
