Director Jon M. Chu is treading carefully when it comes to introducing Dorothy Gale in Wicked: For Good.
As the highly anticipated sequel to 2024’s Wicked, the new movie will explore the aftermath of Elphaba and Glinda’s split, but Dorothy’s iconic arrival on the Yellow Brick Road is definitely on the horizon.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Chu explained that although Dorothy will have a more visible role in the film compared to the original Broadway show, she won’t overshadow the story’s true focus. “We tread lightly,” he said. “But try to make more sense of how it impacts our girls and our characters than maybe the show does.”
Repeating the phrase “We’re delicate” three times, Chu made it clear that the legacy of The Wizard of Oz, and especially Judy Garland’s Dorothy, is not something they’re handling carelessly. While Dorothy’s entry marks a major turning point in Oz, the story remains anchored in the friendship and choices of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande).
Chu stressed that Wicked: For Good is about personal growth and emotional consequences. “I think the meat of what Wicked is all about happens in movie two,” he said. “This is where our childhood dreams collide with our adult selves.”
The film picks up after the dramatic finale of Wicked, where Elphaba becomes a fugitive and Glinda begins rising as a political figure under the manipulation of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Chu described the tone shift: “Our heart was broken when Glinda can’t make the choice that we want her to so badly at the end of movie one, and it feels empowering for Elphaba to fly away from society. In movie two, we get to see the consequences of those choices. The temperature is up.”
Though the film will mostly stick to the structure of the musical’s second half, Chu confirmed that composer Stephen Schwartz has added two original songs to help fill cinematic gaps and expand the narrative. “They’re great additions to this movie,” he said. “To have Stephen Schwartz back behind the keys, it’s pretty extraordinary.”
With a November release date approaching, Chu says the movie is in its final stages. “We’re almost there,” he said. “We’re inches away. I have a couple choices of things to flip around in the timeline… They’re trying to rip the movie away from me right as we speak. I will not let it go until they rip it out of my hands.”
Wicked: For Good is shaping up to be both respectful of its roots and bold in how it pushes the story forward. While Dorothy’s entrance will surely be memorable, the heart of the story remains with Elphaba and Glinda, and the fallout of the choices they’ve made.
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