While some movie musicals have won the Best Picture Oscar, a number of entries to the subgenre failed to impress. Rather than an offbeat musical, the latest entry was the first Wicked movie, which was wildly successful and scored Golden Globe nominations. The movie has been getting all sorts of praise; George Lucas is the latest director to see Wicked and his response is A+. Let's break it all down.
What we know about Wicked: For Good is limited, but it's expected to arrive in November and adapt the musical's second act. It sounds like George Lucas will be in theaters when it arrives, as he really enjoyed the first film. While appearing on CBS Mornings, director Jon M. Chu revealed that the Star Wars legend reached out to him, saying:
I’ve never met George Lucas. I’ve never talked to him. Of course, I went to USC where he supported that school. So I got that call randomly this week. He was still at the mall where he had just seen [Wicked]. And he called me, and we FaceTimed, and he couldn’t have been more kind. He’s like, ‘You know, I make movies.’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ And he’s like, ‘I see all the elements in that movie. I know how hard it is to pull it all together.’
He's not wrong. Wicked was a huge undertaking, with the film full of massive practical sets, millions of planted flowers, and extensive wire work for Cynthia Erivo. All of the elements came together in the end, which is seems to be what impressed George Lucas so much. After all, he broke the mold with his work on the original Star Wars trilogy (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription).
Bringing such a beloved musical to the big screen was a big ask, but luckily Jon M. Chu was just the filmmaker for the job. He proved his ability to work within this genre with In The Heights, which unfortunately didn't make nearly as much money as the first Wicked film. But he used the same sense of movie magic and reverence for musical theater to make each adaptation a thoroughly enjoyable moviegoing experience.
While the pressure was on for Wicked to stick the landing, the first movie did just that. Critical response for Wicked was overwhelmingly positive, and it ended up breaking records at the box office. As such, the odds of the second film being similarly successful are way higher; moviegoers are eager to see how this take on the story plays out.
There are plenty of questions about the second film, especially related to its music. While two new songs are being debuted, Jon M. Chu hinted that fan favorite tracks like "The Wicked Witch of The East" will finally get their due. Fingers crossed.
All will be revealed when Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21st. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.
