We're finally returning to Oz with Jon M. Chu's second instalment of the Broadway adaptation very nearly here. Wicked: For Good arrives at Cineworld on Friday, 21st November – and things are very, very different since we left Elphaba and Glinda in that clock tower.
Allow us to reintroduce you to all the Wicked cats and where you'll find the characters in Wicked: For Good. Releasing in a number of special formats, don't forget you can also watch it a day early with our charity MediCinema screening, or relive the best Wicked scenes and book the double bill.
Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo)
Elphaba is the tortured heart of Wicked who we see come into her own as the Wicked Witch of the West in Wicked: For Good. Initially an outcast when she arrives at Shiz, Madame Morrible helps to hone her skills enough to capture the interest of the Wizard. Meanwhile, initially enemies, her and roomate Glinda become friends and venture to Oz together. However, throughout the events of Wicked, they discover that the Wizard is in fact a fraud and completely powerless. Worst still, he is the man behind the animals losing their voice and being removed from positions of influence in society.
Tricked into reading the Grimmerie, Elphaba gives a monkey wings, not realising her power has actually meant hundreds of monkeys have sprouted wings, and which the Wizard will use to carry out his bidding. Elphaba therefore chooses to flee with the Grimmerie before she can be arrested or used to do any more of the Wizard's power hungry work. For the first time, Elphaba is able to fly, disappearing off into the West, which is where we find her in Wicked: For Good. Public enemy number one, Elphaba has taken time to pour over the Grimmerie and continue to expand her magic abilities so that she might free the animals and expose the trutha about the Wizard to all of Oz.
Glinda (played by Ariana Grande)
As per the stage show, Glinda is born Galinda Upland and she crosses paths with Elphaba while attending Madame Morrible's sorcery class at Shiz University. Blonde, butter-wouldn't-melt Glinda becomes the most popular girl in her class, the exact opposite of Elphaba. However, the pair eventually forge a beautiful friendship, while Glinda sets her romantic sights on Fiyero. Burying her jealousy of Elphaba's magical abilities, Glinda instead manages to insert herself into Elphaba's adventure by joining her on her journey to Oz, holding far less conviction in Elphaba's plight to improve animal rights, though she does choose to go by Glinda instead of Galinda in support of Professor Dillamond, a goat with an inability to pronounce her name correctly.
At the end of Wicked, Glinda chooses not to leave with Elphaba and is instead apprehended by the Wizard's guards. In Wicked: For Good, she appears to be working for the Wizard and has rebranded as Glinda the Good Witch in direct opposition to Elphaba's Wicked Witch of the West. She is engaged to Fiyero.
Fiyero Tigelaar (played by Jonathan Bailey)
Fiyero Tigelaar, a rebellious prince from Winkie Country, transfers to Shiz University in the first Wicked film, tempting the students to a forbidden night out at the Ozdust Ballroom. He and Glinda are drawn to each other, as two popular, attractive individuals are wont to do. However, a connection forms between him and Elphaba when he helps her rescue a lion cub from the clutches of the new Ozian regime. At the end of Wicked, upon hearing that Elphaba is now a fugitive on the run from Oz, we see Fiyero ride away on horseback from Shiz, with Wicked: For Good finding him taking on a new position as Captain of the Wizard's Guard and due to be wed to Glinda.
Madame Morrible (played by Michelle Yeoh)
Headmistress of Crage Hall at Shiz University, the scheming Madame Morrible has a pernicious influence on Elphaba's destiny. It is the nefarious Madame who encourages the Wizard of Oz to construct a villainous archetype in Elphaba, through which the citizens of Oz can channel their fear and anger. In Wicked: For Good, she oversees Glinda's rebrand as the Good Witch and attempts to manipulate her to do the Wizard's bidding.
The Wizard of Oz (played by Jeff Goldblum)
A long time ago, a humble, unassuming man from Missouri ventured by hot-air balloon to a mysterious land known as Oz. He eventually came to rule this land via the power of smoke and mirrors, coming to embody the notion of 'the wizard behind the curtain'. In Wicked's interpretation of the Oz story, the Wizard's allegiances aren't immediately clear, which perfectly matches Jeff Goldblum's famously erratic and off-kiter vocal delivery.
At the end of Wicked, little is still known about the Wizard, other than he, in actual fact, holds little to no magic abilities, and had hoped to use Elphaba to support his ruling of Oz. No spoilers here, but expect some interesting and potentially shocking reveals in Act 2, AKA Wicked: For Good.
Nessarose Thropp (played by Marissa Bode)
Nessa is Elphaba's younger sister who is in a wheelchair. In Wicked, she has a crush on a munchkin, Boq, of whom Glinda sets her up with. At the end of the first film, upon hearing the news that Elphaba has become an enemy of Oz, their father has a heart attack and dies.
In Wicked: For Good, we find Nessa has now taken her father's role as governor of Munchkinland. Her first act as governor was to remove many of the Munchkins' rights in order to prevent Boq from leaving her. Keep an eye out for their mother's silver slippers, just sayin'...
Boq Woodsman (played by Ethan Slater)
Ethan Slater plays Boq, a Munchkin that attends Shiz University along with Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, and Nessa. He has a crush on Glinda and tries to ask her out on the night of the Ozdust Ballroom outing. However, Glinda instead encourages him to take pity on Nessa and ask her out instead. Boq is unable to admit the truth to Nessa, and ends up stuck in a relationship he does not want to be in.
Pfannee (played by Bowen Yang) and ShenShen (played by Bronwyn James)
Pfanne and ShenShen instantly latched themselves to Glinda the moment she arrived in Shiz and have remained loyal to her ever since. Graduating from college friends to her assistance in Wicked: For Good, expect to see some killer outfits and plenty of sass from this dynamic duo.
Brr the Cowardly Lion (played by Colman Doming)
Very excitingly for anyone who is a long time fan of the Broadway show, Wicked: For Good promises some changes, meaning even you will be left a little surprised when watching Act 2. One of the confirmed changes is that the Cowardly Lion will play a more substantial role in the film adaptation, with Colman Domingo announced to be voicing the character. This is the same lion cub that Elphaba and Fiyero rescued, who ends up meeting and joining Dorothy's gang as they journey along the Yellow Brick Road.
Other Wicked: For Good characters
There are a few other returning cast members from Wicked that will star in Wicked: For Good. Adam James and Alice Fearn will return as Glinda's parents, in attendance of her's and Fiyero's wedding (another change that does not feature in the musical). Keala Settle will once again portray Miss Coddle, head mistress of Shiz University, while Sharon D. Clarke will voice Dulcibear, the bear and former nanny of Elphaba and Nessarose and Peter Dinklage will once again voice Doctor Dillamond.
It's also been noted, alongside the Cowardly Lion, that Dorothy will have a more prominent role in Wicked, though Jon M. Chu has remained tight lipped on casting.
Reunite with these memorable characters and more when Wicked: For Good is released on Friday, 21st November.
And don't forget you can now get your hands on Wicked: For Good merch, including witchy cups and an LED popcorn bucket.
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