Why The Wicked Sequel removed the “part of the second” from the name

When it was first announced that John M. Chu, the director of films such as “Madly Rich Asians” and “At the Height” adapts the hit of the Broadway Musical Stephen Schwartz “Wicked”, the news soon appeared that the movie would be divided into two parts . At some level, really makes sense to share the “wicked” halfgiving it a cinematic two -act structure that mimics the stage version. Given all this, the movies were originally called “Wicked: Part One” and “Wicked: PART TWO”, and part the first came out in theaters in November 2024. defeated the box office and earning praise reviews of critics. Thenin December of the same year heard revealed (to VarietyAmong others) that the second part of the epic movie will actually be called “Wicked: For Good”, taking the name from the sincere duo made by the elfabai trop (Cynthia Eriva) and her best girlfriend, who became a political enemy with a good witch (Arian Grando) In the second act of the performance.

So why changes? As Chu Variety said in early January 2025, “For Good” – just … the best name. “Who wants a movie called” Evil: Part Second “?” Chu ritrically asked the Red carpet of the National Assessment Commission. “The script always said,” Forever, “and so it was just a question:” We really want to call it “part two”? ” And no one wants that. “

He explained: “I mean it’s a destination. “Forever,” we know, how “where are we going with this movie? Let’s finish this business, ”he continued. Ok then!

Division of huge movies into two parts – this is not news; Since 2011, Harry Potter and Death Gifts have been processed in two parts, the studio (very bright) tried it again and again with the expected releases to try to squeeze out more money from the project. However, according to John M. Chu, the story of “Wicked” – which, when you lived under the stone, is a kind of prick to “The Wizard of OZ” based on Gregory Magaire’s novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Witches” , which focuses on the magical (and dark) journey of the elfaby trop when it becomes an evil witch of the West – was just too massive to fit into one movie.

“When we have been preparing this production over the last year, it became increasingly obvious that it is impossible to combine the story” Wicked “into one movie without causing real harm” Chu wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) In April 2022, the film was still in the early stage. “As we tried to cut songs or trim the characters, these decisions began to seem fatal compromise with the original material that entertained us all for so many years. So we decided to give ourselves a bigger canvas and make not only one movie “Wicked” but two !!!! (Sic) Having more space we can tell the story of Wicked as it was intended to tell, making even more depth and surprise in the journey of these favorite characters. ” According to Stephen Schwartz, the author of the Broadway Songs, which received Tony, is right.

There is one vast The reason that “Wicked” really needed to be stretched into two films, saying the words of Broadway Stephen Schwartz … and it all comes down to a small part called “Defying Gravity”. Yes, a song that completes Act 1 “Wicked” and convinced the children of the music theater worldwide that they can also ride like Cinthia Erivan or Original Broadway Elf Idin Menzel, just too epic Just happen in the middle of the film, as Schwartz showed in June 2022.

“It was very difficult for us to get past the” defying gravity “without interruption,” Schwartz explained to the newsletter in honor of it, known as “Schwartz” (via Variety.) “This song is written specifically to lower the curtain, and whatever the scene of it without interruption, it just seemed extremely anti -climate.”

Not only that, but Schwartz said he and hea, as well as the rest of the film’s creative group, tried To put “wicked” in just one movie and just couldn’t understand how to make it work. “The truth is that we tried to make one movie for a while, even if it was supposed to be one very long film,” Schwartz said in a statement. “But we continued to face two problems. The first is that even as a very long single film, it demanded from us to cut or lower what we wanted to turn on and what we believe will appreciate the fans of the show and history. ” Add this “gravity management” to all this, and this decision is, after all, it makes sense.

“Wicked: Part One” already be rent or buy on digital platforms streamingA “Wicked: For Good” with the new name will be released at the movie theater on November 21, 2025.