While 2025 has had its fair share of movie successes so far, one of the most H๏τly anticipated movies of the year is the upcoming Wicked: For Good, the sequel to one of last year’s most culturally significant movies, Wicked. As the new movie inches closer to its release date later this year, the movie’s marketing has begun to spool up, and the first footage was recently shown at CinemaCon, where Wicked: For Good was finally revealed with a great first look seen by multiple outlets, including Screen Rant.
While there are plenty of things to note about the footage, one of the most exciting things it showed was something the original film did very well. Wicked‘s reviews were extremely positive, with the film even managing to snag 10 Oscar nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, and one consistent positive throughout was how well it integrated into the original Wizard of Oz story. Wicked had many references to the classic film, and the new Wicked: For Good footage showed that the sequel will be doing the same.
Wicked: For Good Is Still Including Lots Of Wizard Of Oz Easter Eggs
For Good Is Going To Have Similar References To The Wizard Of Oz
While Wicked‘s Easter eggs weren’t the reason the film was great, as it stood very well on its own two feet, there were plenty of great moments that referenced The Wizard of Oz, from the yellow brick road to the Wizard’s H๏τ air balloon, and thankfully, Wicked: For Good has already shown that it will be doing the same kind of references. During the CinemaCon footage, Elphaba says, “I’m off to see the wizard,” a clear nod to “We’re off to see the Wizard,” one of the most iconic songs from the 1939 film.
How Wicked 2’s Wizard Of Oz References Might Be Different
The Sequel Is Changing What These References Mean
While a lot of Wicked‘s references to The Wizard of Oz were just fun Easter eggs for people familiar with the original, what was shown of For Good indicates that several of the references will have a deeper meaning when combined with the darker story of the sequel. There was another moment in the footage where Elphaba reused the phrase “the wizard and I,” referring to her song in Wicked, “The Wizard and I.” That song was about Elphaba’s excitement about meeting the Wizard, but in For Good, it is about her fight against the man.
Wicked: For Good is set to be released on November 21, 2025, almost exactly one year after the original movie.
As Wicked‘s sequel is clearly going for a darker tone, replacing the optimism of Elphaba in the first film with her fight against an unjust system, these references are flipped on their heads, showing just how different Elphaba and the movie will be when compared to the previous film. Flipping the story of The Wizard of Oz on its head was exactly what the original Wicked book and play were going for, so seeing Wicked: For Good continue that trend is an exciting sign for the movie.
