Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Wicked Part 1 & Part 2!
After watching Wicked: Part 1, the anticipation during the year-long wait for Wicked: Part 2 is going to feel simultaneously excruciating and exhilarating. The Wicked movie adaptation has garnered just as much enthusiasm as the Broadway musical, which has been performed in over 100 cities across 16 countries since its release in 2003.
The creative team has done an incredible job of fleshing out the characters and expanding upon the relationships, making the first movie a cinematic masterpiece. Wicked: Part 1 ended on a high note with Cynthia Erivo’s incredible version of “Defying Gravity,” a perfect place to pause. However, the year-long wait until the release of Wicked: Part 2 will prove more difficult than expected based on the success of the first movie.
The Wicked cast is packed with seasoned Broadway and West End actors, and the musical aspects of the Wicked soundtrack are impeccable. Cynthia Erivo perfectly encapsulates Elphaba, making her complex and emotional as she tries to figure out her place in Oz. Ariana Grande pays beautiful homage to Kristin Chenoweth’s original character while adding new, subtle layers to Glinda.
Though the Wicked movie makes changes to the Broadway musical, the adaptation also remains exceptionally loyal to the source material. The film stands on its own without having seen the stage show, making it perfect for fans of the stage show and newcomers alike.
The knowledge of what’s coming makes it even harder to wait a year for Part 2. The second half of the story overlaps with The Wizard of Oz, and the upcoming movie will include significant moments like the Wicked characters becoming their Wizard of Oz counterparts, Dorothy arriving in Oz, and Elphaba getting melted by a bucket of water.
Wicked: Part 2 should also offer the first official recording of the song “The Wicked Witch of the East,” which was left out of the album Wicked (Original Broadway Cast Recording) because the lyrics include numerous spoilers. The second half of the Wicked adaptation will also include heavy-hitting songs like “As Long As You’re Mine” and “For Good,” which are iconic Broadway songs.
Though it’s frustrating to wait a year for Wicked: Part 2, the second half will be well worth the wait if the second movie is anything like the first. Wicked: Part 1 defied gravity by offering up an adaptation that’s just as good as, if not better than, the stage show. The beloved story is clearly in excellent hands, with Jon M. Chu as the director and Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande leading the Wicked cast.
There’s no reason to believe that Wicked: Part 2 will be anything but excellent. After all, the first movie was powerful enough for multiple viewers to admit on social media that they literally cried with joy watching it. It might be difficult to tolerate the anticipation, but there are plenty of chances to rewatch Wicked: Part 1 while waiting for the second half of the epic story.