Universal Pictures continues to build hype for Wicked: For Good, especially concerning how the movie will cross over with the plot of The Wizard of Oz. In a teaser that just dropped, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) are both on track to fulfill their roles in mᴀssive moments from the famous original story, as all the pieces fall into place.
As The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) launch a propaganda campaign against Elphaba to keep their own crimes under wraps, Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship is tested when their wishes and priorities clash further, and Dorothy arrives in Oz and ends up in possession of Elphaba’s sister Nessarose’s (Marissa Bode) decadent shoes.
Following Wicked: For Good‘s final full trailer, the marketing team can be expected to release some shorter promos: this first one teases both Glinda’s fateful encounter with Dorothy and Elphaba eventually finding allies in the flying monkeys. Glinda is seen giving Dorothy and Toto directions to follow the yellow brick road, while other animals begin to come to Elphaba.
Check out this new Wicked teaser below:
After Glinda gives Dorothy the frankly bad directions of “It’s just down that road the whole time!“, the teaser also shows more of Elphaba and Glinda’s fight at the site of the crash landing, with more of the humorous tone that it has on stage. Primarily, this clip shows hints of what will be added to the movie.
What This Means For Wicked: For Good
The audience never sees Glinda directly interact with Dorothy in the Broadway production, but Wicked: For Good does not plan to show Dorothy’s face, meaning the recreation of parts of her arrival in Munchkinland will focus heavily on Glinda’s perspective. Likewise, what exactly Elphaba does to help Oz’s animal population during her years on the run is left ambiguous on stage.
The first Wicked movie sets up Elphaba recruiting the flying monkey guard to be a more complicated plot point, but one we know has to come to fruition because of the famous Wizard of Oz iconography. When the monkeys are not prisoners but coerced soldiers, a bigger event must take place to convince them to flee with Elphaba.
The very brief glimpse of other animals gathering around Elphaba, as well as teasers of what happens at Glinda and Fiyero’s (Jonathan Bailey) wedding, suggests that Elphaba instigates an animal uprising, a new addition to the show’s script. Thus, other animals allying with her may be leading to the monkeys flocking to her as well, believing she can protect them.
Our Take On Wicked: For Good’s New Teaser
On the other hand, Erivo and Grande show that they can make this movie a fun watch despite its darker storyline. While Elphaba and Glinda’s fractured relationship is upsetting for both of them, they still mock each other in a way only friends can. While Wicked: For Good is leaning into advertising the Wizard of Oz connections, Elphaba and Glinda will still be where it shines the most.