Plans are reportedly underway for additional films in the Wicked franchise following the box office triumph of Wicked: For Good, the second instalment of the two-part adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. The film, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has grossed over $255m (£193m) globally since its release last week.
Michael Moses, chief marketing officer for Universal Pictures, told Vulture that the studio feels a “responsibility” to continue exploring the Wicked universe. “Because of Wicked’s success but also the fanship, we have almost a responsibility to figure out how we can continue in this universe,” he said. “Have we figured it out yet? No. But there are things underway.”
Stephen Schwartz, the composer-lyricist of the original musical, revealed he is working with co-writer Winnie Holzman on ideas that are not a direct sequel. Speaking to The Ankler, Schwartz said: “I think the Glinda and Elphaba story feels complete – but there are other aspects that could be explored. Gregory Maguire, the original Wicked novelist, has several books, for example. But there’s another idea that Winnie and I are discussing: not a sequel, but an adjunct.”
Despite its commercial success, Wicked: For Good received mixed reviews from critics. In a two-star write-up for The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey criticised the film’s direction, writing: “If your complaint about last year’s Wicked was that it was so oddly lit that you could barely see what was going on, then fear not – in Wicked: For Good, you won’t mind so much, because there’s so little to look at.” She added that the musical’s back half “was always a bit of a slog” and director Jon M Chu “fails to find a satisfactory fix”.
