Wicked mania is still in full swing. The film is currently racking it up at the box office, critics are praising it, our own official Wicked review gave it a perfect 5/5, and just as the hype starts to die down, Wicked: For Good will be hitting theaters next year. The massive success forces one to reflect on its predecessor, The Wizard Of Oz, which became a worldwide phenomenon when it hit theaters about 85 years ago. At this point, Wicked feels like its own thing entirely, but according to director Jon M. Chu, Wicked: For Good will connect to The Wizard of Oz in a major, direct way, and it’s through the iconic protagonist Dorothy Gale.
Director Jon M. Chu cannot stop teasing what’s to come when the second half of Glinda and Elphaba’s story finally hits the big screen, and although our most recent conversation was in celebration of Wicked’s December 31 home video release, it inevitably came back around to For Good, and of course, Dorothy. As Chu said:
Well, we definitely did cast Dorothy. You see her in some of our teasers. How much of do you see of Dorothy? I'm going to leave people— I can't I can't confirm or deny how much you see of her. I will say that I do think it's important for, whoever Dorothy is to you, to try to respect that as much as possible. But does The Wizard of Oz and our movie intersect in movie two more than ever? 100%.
Jon M. Chu
His comments about Dorothy’s casting are in reference to the fact that fans across the internet have been speculating as to who could be taking on the role. So far, all we’ve seen are teases of the character, like glimpses of her silhouette or a shot that obscures her face. With 2025 Golden Globe nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande becoming worldwide sensations, the bar is set very high, and the day that said casting is announced will be a huge one for those of us in the entertainment news game.
As for the Wizard Of Oz of it all, John M. Chu could be referring to anything. The fact that the world he has helped to create intersects with the 1939 classic “more than ever” is pretty insane to think about. Are there more classic characters we should be fan-casting? Are there more folks from Oz lore that will be making an appearance, like those insane Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel cameos? Will it connect to the larger Oz universe and reference The Wiz or Return To Oz? I think it’s time to start speculating. All I can say is that if there are no cameos from Fairuza Balk or James Franco, I am going to freak out.
Only time will tell! Wicked: For Good will be released on November 21, 2025. That feels like quite a ways away, but let’s not forget that Wicked: Part 1 is still in theaters right now! And in case you’ve already done your big screen rewatch, all you have to do is hold out until December 31, which is when you can purchase or rent Wicked at home! For all upcoming news on Dorothy’s casting, Wicked: For Good, the Wicked home release and everything else hitting theaters in 2025, keep it right here at CinemaBlend.
