Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Wicked: Part 1 and Wicked: Part 2!
Because the big-screen adaptation is split into two parts, the ending of 2024’sWicked: Part 1sets up the narrative forWicked: Part 2, building anticipation for the second half of the story. When Marc Platt announced theWickedmovie in 2012, fans immediately expressed excitement. The eponymous Broadway musical was released in 2003, gaining 10 Tony nominations and three wins.Wickedhas continued playing on Broadwayand the West End, with the musical having multiple US National tours. Since the movie’s announcement, the musical has only continued to increase its fanbase.
Twelve years after the movie announcement, Wicked finally hit the big screen, albeit with a twist. Rather than a single film,Universal Pictures decided to split the story into two parts that would come out in theaters one year apart.Wicked: Part 1 debuted with an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes audience score, increasing the excitement about the second half of the story. However, some fans might not want to wait a year to learn the rest of the story. Luckily, the Wicked Broadway musical provides answers about what will happen inWicked: Part 2.
How Wicked’s Ending Sets Up Wicked 2’s Story
The first half ofWicked: Part 1provides foundational information on the main characters, displaying their personalities, backgrounds, and interpersonal relationships. Halfway through the movie, the story shifts towards building the central conflict – the mistreatment of the talking animals. As a woman who has been an outsider her whole life, Elphaba is unwilling to stand by and watch the injustice towards this minority group. When she seeks out The Wizard’s help at theend ofWicked: Part 1, she learns that he and Madame Morrible are responsible for the cruelty towards animals.
Wicked Review: Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande Defy Gravity In Jaw-Dropping Musical Adaptation
Save for the tiniest of things, Wicked is a worthy screen adaptation of the musical, guaranteed to make viewers feel like they could defy gravity too.
This reveal and Elphaba’s reaction to it set up the central storyline inWicked: Part 2. The young woman refuses to work with her former idols to harm the animals, stealingThe Grimmerieand breaking out on her own. However, Glinda decides she can have a better impact by complying with the system.Their opposite approaches set up the adversarial relationship between the best friends in the second half of thetwo-partWickedmovie.Their positive relationship throughoutWicked: Part 1will create cognitive dissonance for the pair going into the next film.
Unfortunately, Elphaba will struggle to find support from others in her desire to expose The Wizard. At the end ofWicked: Part 1, Madame Morrible takes preemptive steps to discredit the witch if she tries to speak out, spreading disinformation to the citizens of Oz. This sets her up to become the villain of the story inWicked: Part 2, even if she’s morally in the right.
Elphaba & Glinda’s Story In Wicked 2 Based On The Book & Musical
After “Defying Gravity,” Elphaba flies around helping animals, which is mentioned in the Broadway musical’s dialogue rather than shown. This matches up with herWickedbook story, where she becomes a secret animal activist plotting against The Wizard.Wicked: Part 2will certainly have her help the animals, potentially showing her as part of the animal resistance group Dr. Dillamond was involved in, which was created forWicked: Part 1. Consideringhow dark theWickedbook is, it’s unlikely the movie will pull any other aspects of the story.
While Elphaba is helping the talking animals, Glinda joins The Wizard’s administration, becoming the pretty young figurehead that others look to for comfort and security. She feels conflicted about Madame Morrible’s negative statements about Elphaba, but she doesn’t stick up for her friend, which drives a wedge between her and Fiyero. Things get worse when Madame Morrible announces their engagement despite them not being engaged. Based on how loyal the movie was to the musical, all these elements will undoubtedly appear inWicked: Part 2.
In anger, Glinda suggests Madame Morrible spread a rumor about Nessarose’s safety to lure in Elphaba; however, the villain takes it one step further by actually killing the witch’s sister.
Elphaba returns to The Emerald City to beg for her father’s help with going against The Wizard, only to learn that her sister took over as the governor of Munchkinland after their father’s death. After a tense scene which involvesBoq becoming the Tin Man, her sister refuses to help and Elphaba leaves to free the flying monkeys. She’s caught by The Wizard, Fiyero, and Glinda, but Fiyero helps her escape. This drives a wedge between Glinda and Elphaba.
In anger, Glinda suggests Madame Morrible spread a rumor about Nessarose’s safety to lure in Elphaba; however, the villain takes it one step further by actually killing the witch’s sister. After the death, Glinda and Elphaba meet again, with the latter being upset that the former gave Dorothy Nessarose’s shoes. Elphaba gets away because of Fiyero, who is then hurt. However,she turns Fiyero into The Scarecrowto keep him alive.
Wicked Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play
As a Broadway musical adaptation, Wicked: Part 1’s soundtrack, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is integral to the film’s success.
The musical jumps forward to Elphaba in Kiamo Ko with Dorothy captured. Glinda comes to the castle, pleading for her friend to let the little girl go.Elphaba decides to surrender and gives Glinda The Grimmerie. Glinda hides when the crowd comes.In the book, Dorothy kills Elphaba, mirroring the climactic moment at theend ofThe Wizard of Oz. However, the musical has Elphaba fake her death and escape with Fiyero as The Scarecrow, a change thatWicked: Part 2will undoubtedly follow.
What Else Will Happen In Wicked 2 Based On The Book & Musical
While theWickedmusical focuses heavily on the two main characters, the show still includes subplots involving Nessarose, Boq, Madame Morrible, and The Wizard. As mentioned, Nessarose takes over the job as the Governor of Munchkinland. She keeps Boq as her servant, though she tries to force him to love her.When she can’t keep him under her control, Nessa removes the rights of the Munchkins to prevent him from leaving.
However, he tries to flee after Elphaba spells Nessarose’s shoes, allowing her to walk. Nessa gets angry and tries to cast a love spell. When she reads the words incorrectly, his heart shrinks, and Elphaba must turn him into the Tin Man to keep him alive. Ultimately, Nessarose becomesThe Wizard of Oz’s characterThe Wicked Witch of the East, dying when Madame Morrible drops a house on top of her. Boq blames Elphaba for everything and rallies the angry mob to kill her.
When he catches Elphaba trying to free the flying monkeys, he offers her a chance to join him again, promising that she won’t have to keep running and hiding.
Madame Morrible becomes more overt with her evilness, though the musical is still ambiguous about whether she’s the true villain or whether she’s acting on behalf of The Wizard. She continues spreading lies about Elphaba and eventually decides to kill Nessarose to lure the Wicked Witch of the West out, a decision that should appear in the second half of the film. In the last moments of the Wicked musical, Glinda has the guards arrest Madame Morrible for the murder, a decision they might mirror inWicked: Part 2.
Lastly, The Wizard continues to be a terrible person who’s trying to maintain his power. When he catches Elphaba trying to free the flying monkeys, he offers her a chance to join him again, promising that she won’t have to keep running and hiding. However,she discovers that The Wizard kept Dr. Dillamond captive and took away his speech, which causes her to reject him.
Is Wicked Suitable For Children? Parents Guide For Musical Movie
Just like the Broadway musical, the 1995 novel, and the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the new Wicked movie should be mostly suitable for children.
The Wizard isn’t shown again until the final moments of the musical when he learns that Elphaba is his daughter, a devastating reveal that should take place inWicked: Part 2. The character is then banished from Oz by Glinda, leaving on his hot air balloon. Because A-list actor Jeff Goldblum is The Wizard inWicked, the second half of the story might increase the number of scenes for the character; however, his general arc should remain the same as the Broadway musical.
