Wicked: For Good - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Wicked: For Good



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:

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Movie
Last year’s 4K and Blu-ray viewing of 2024’s Wicked was one of the better surprises of 2025, and still is probably my favorite watch of last year. And many of us were eagerly awaiting the second act of the play to come out with Wicked: For Good. Forgoing the theatrical experience in order to keep my review fresh, I’ve impatiently walked these long halls (oh, the melodrama) just waiting for the physical release, and now the time is nigh! (again, the melodrama).

Taking up the plot of the second half of the famed Broadway play, we pick up some time after the events of the last movie. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is waging a one-woman war against the despotic Wizard of Oz, doing her best to disrupt his plans for domination over the animals and his own people. Unfortunately, the Wizard is winning the war of public opinion, successfully turning the people against Elphaba and driving her back further and further. Galinda (Ariana Grande) does her best to try and aid her friends fight as best she can, but she has to keep her alliance with the Wicked With of the West a secret so that the Wizard and his flying monkeys don’t lock her up as well.

Finally tiring of the conflict, Elphaba agrees to help the Wizard, but only if he agrees to stop attacking the speaking animals in the kingdom and give up his dominion over the flying monkeys. But like everyone expected, the Wizard is not one to keep his promises, dashing all hopes of a truce. And to make matters worse, the Wizard’s sorcerer, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), ends up killing Elphaba’s sister Nessa (Marissa Bode) by dropping a house on top of her, leading up to the inevitable conclusion. Sometimes the world needs a villain, and the best freedom fighter there is needs to step aside and let someone else steer the ship.
e.

Last year’s review of Wicked was probably my favorite viewing of the year, and Wicked: For Good follows very large footsteps. And for the most part, it actually succeeds. The movie is a near direct adaptation of the stage play, which means that, much like the play, the 2nd half of the story doesn’t live up to the hype that was the first half. And really, it’s something I was completely expecting, being that it was baked into the original play. You see, unlike movies, plays are not a 3 act story. Instead, they have 2 distinct halves, and generally the best act is the first one. This has been a studied phenomenon for years in the world of Broadway productions. And just like the play, the truly GREAT parts are heavily front-loaded in the story, meaning that the 1st film took up the best songs, the most impactful scenes, and the stronger ending.

The best part of the movie is that it leans heavily into the conspiratorial nature of the original novel. Pulling heavily from the socio-political leanings of the 90s, it actually feels even more relevant today. Themes of manipulation by the elites, the masses needing an opiate, and being willing to believe outright lies feel eerily familiar in this day and age. And to that effect, it’s all the more powerful. That being said, I really do miss some of the darker elements of the novel, especially regarding Galinda’s and Elphaba’s strained relationship. In the film, it’s much more surface-level, vs. the back-and-forth play that two powerful women had regarding what needed to be done with the Wizard. But I digress. The darker take on this film still fits in with the lighter and airier previous film well enough, but adds a nice layering that hits pretty hard in the feels. I especially loved how the Dorothy elements from the classic movie are kept off to the side and intimated, rather than just replaying the same Yellow Brick Road adventure that the 1930s film has already done (Dorothy’s face never being shown was a cool effect, and keeps fans from disassociating as most of us still see Judy Garland’s face in that role, no matter how hard we try).

That being said, Wicked: For Good is still a very good follow-up to the first film. We get a great performance by Ariana Grande this time, who actually takes center stage over Erivo for once. Erivo still has some absolutely incredible singing (my goodness, that lady has a set of pipes on her), and the introduction of Dorothy, and the realization of who the Tin Man and Scarecrow were was kind of a cool twist I had forgotten about (It’s been years since I’ve seen the Broadway production). My only complaints are the obvious front-loading of the best songs in the first act (first movie in this instance) and the weak ending. I love the play to death, but the ending has always come across as feeling rushed and contrived in a small way, especially the reveal about Elphaba’s past in the last few minutes of the movie. But again, these are flaws that are baked into the plot of the play itself, and unless Chu and his writers actually changed up the play, there’s no way out of it.




Rated PG for action/violence, some suggestive material, and thematic material.




Video:

Last year’s Blu-ray for the first film was nearly perfect, so I had really high expectations for this one, and Universal did NOT disappoint. In fact, I feel they actually surpassed the encode over the previous film, allowing me to give Wicked: For Good a perfect 5/5 star rating. Standing out as one of the best films that the Blu-ray format has been able to put out, we head back into Oz with a glorious 4K digital master that was struck from Arri Alexa 65 cameras, and then fake grain was added back in post-production to give it some texture. And Wicked: For Good looks weirdly filmic as a result. Most digitally shot films are obvious that they’re not actually shot on film stock, but this is one of the better attempts. The light layering of grain looks almost natural (except for a weird grainy shot in the scene where Elphaba and Galinda prepare for Dorothy near the end), and the fine details are impeccable. You can see every little fiber, every little bit of dirt, and EVERY line on the costumes. Colors are absolutely incredible, with a vivid palette that ranges from dark emerald green to bubble gum pink, down to the dreary and dark look of the Castle Kiamo Ko (which is a really neat design). Absolutely perfect.







Audio:

Featuring the same Dolby Atmos track as the 4K UHD disc (thank you for being one of the good guys, Universal), the film makes its presence FELT in the very opening scene of the film. This mix is absolutely rocking, with a heavy emphasis on rich and expansive songs that fill the whole sound stage. The action is bigger and heavier than the previous film, giving reign to some really cool swooshing and fighting sequences thanks to Elphaba and her broom. Directionality is quite impressive, and I literally was catching myself pinpointing directional cues all over the film. One moment you’d hear a monkey scream in the front left, only to hear a rock rattle and fall in the rear of the room. Vocals are crisp and clean as expected, and the balance is perfection. The track does a great job balancing a deep and powerful bass track with the rest of the film, and brings this Atmos track THIS close to being utter perfection.





Extras:

• SING-ALONG - ALTERNATE FEATURE-LENGTH VERSION – Rejoicify! The time has come to raise your voice and unleash the magic of Oz. Sing with all your heart as Elphaba and Glinda's destiny unfolds in the spellbinding Sing-Along Edition of WICKED: FOR GOOD.
• DELETED SCENES
-- Brick Making - A musical montage shows Munchkins busily shaping and painting brilliant golden bricks, bringing the Yellow Brick Road to life.
-- Glinda Train Tour - As Glinda leaves Emerald City, the citizens erupt into musical fanfare, sending her off with radiant cheers and lavish celebration - Featuring Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, and Bowen Yang
-- Even You, Fiyero* - Elphaba retreats to her lair, wrestling with the sting of Fiyero's betrayal and the weight of her heartbreak - Featuring Cynthia Erivo
-- Return to the Governor's Mansion* - Lost and abandoned, Elphaba returns to the one place she swore she'd left behind - her childhood home - Featuring Cynthia Erivo
-- Friendship Montage - A lively montage unfolds as Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, Boq, and Nessarose spend a carefree afternoon together—playing games, laughing, and relaxing over a cheerful picnic - Featuring Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Jonathan Bailey, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo
-- The Wizard is Sentimental - Glinda steps into her ethereal bubble to float above Emerald City, contrasted with the Wizard's nostalgic hot air balloon ascension as he reprises "A Sentimental Man" - Featuring Ariana Grande and Jeff Goldblum
• MAKING WICKED: FOR GOOD – Step behind the curtain for an exclusive look at the magic of Oz. Through never-before-seen footage and candid interviews, discover how the cast and crew brought this epic story to life—from the artistry of building Oz brick-by-brick to the challenge of filming two sweeping productions at once. A talent-led journey you won't want to miss.
• THE TRUE WIZARD - An exploration of why Jon M. Chu was the ideal director to bring WICKED: FOR GOOD from stage to screen. See how his inventiveness as a filmmaker and passion for WICKED are key ingredients for the humanity and joy we feel in every shot.
• MORE THAN JUST A PLACE - A closer look at Elphaba's new song in WICKED: FOR GOOD. Cynthia Erivo, Jon M. Chu, Stephen Schwartz, and others reflect on its emotional resonance, Elphaba's vulnerability, and the expressive movement artists portraying the animal characters she sings to.
• THE GIRL IN THE BUBBLE - A closer look at Glinda's brand new song for the WICKED: FOR GOOD film. Ariana Grande, Jon M. Chu, Stephen Schwartz, and more discuss how the song comes at such a pivotal moment for Glinda, and why filming the sequence was such a feat of technical mastery.
• KIAMO KO - Return to Kiamo Ko, where the film's climax unfolds. Cast and filmmakers reflect on Elphaba's embrace of her identity as the Wicked Witch, the poignant reunion with Glinda, and the bittersweet consequences that follow in this emotionally charged sequence.

Final Score: ​

At the end of the day, Wicked: For Good may not be AS perfect as the first film, but it’s a good conclusion to the story and a faithful adaptation of the play. Erivo and Grande steal every scene that they’re in (especially when they’re singing), and this dual feature adaptation of one of the most successful plays ever written is a great experience. The Blu-ray looks and sounds incredible, and actually features a healthy array of extras as well (something that has been lacking in the home media world for years). Highly recommended.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathon Bailey, Michelle Yeoh
Directed by: John M. Chu
Written by: Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox, Stephen Schwartz
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 Core), French, Spanish DD+ 7.1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Universal Studios
Rated: PG
Runtime: 137 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: January 20th, 2026

Recommendation: Very Good Watch

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. I have not seen this one or the first part so will have to do a screening of both together.

For those curious, the movies are different from the musical plays.

For this one, see below..

All the Differences Between ‘Wicked: For Good’ and Act II of the Musical

New songs and a wedding and an alternate ending scene — oh my!

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