15 Pop Culture Facts About 'Wicked: For Good' and Other Movie Musicals
After 2024’s musical blockbuster Wicked ended on a cliffhanger, fans have awaited the release of Wicked: For Good, which finally lands in theaters this Friday. In a ho-hum box office year, Wicked: For Good promises to deliver, so here are some bits of trivia about the film, along with facts about other movie musicals.
The Good Witch Goes Wicked
In a Wicked: For Good Q&A, Ariana Grande revealed that her character Glinda makes a bit of a villainous turn in the film as she’s working for the Wizard (who is a way darker character than he was in the 1939 film). Yet, Grande said Glinda is still the same persona she was in the first film, as Glinda is deeply insecure and seeking approval, which, in Wicked: For Good, is used against Elphaba Thropp on her path to becoming the Wicked Witch of the West.
The One Under Dorothy’s House
Wicked: For Good star Marissa Bode, who plays Nessarose “Nessa” Thropp — and who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the East — says that she personally journaled as her character to fill in the blanks regarding Nessa.
Rain and Fire
The original negative of the 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain was destroyed in a fire in the 1970s.
‘Wicked’ & ‘Wicked: For Good’
In an interview for Wicked: For Good, Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba Thropp, explained how Wicked and the sequel were filmed. “We made them at the same time, not one after the other, at the same time, simultaneously,” explained Erivo. “So, one day we could be filming film one and the second day we’re filming For Good, which is sort of completely mind-boggling.”
The Musical Monorail
The 1962 musical The Music Man served as the inspiration for one of the most beloved episodes of The Simpsons. Both “Marge vs. the Monorail” and The Music Man are about a charming con-man who comes to a small town and fleeces the townspeople.
Muppet Bikers
One of the most beloved scenes in the 1981 Muppet musical The Great Muppet Caper features full-bodied Muppets riding on bicycles. In an age of practical effects, the scene was accomplished with a mix of radio-controlled bikes and a marionette rig above the Muppets that was just out of frame.
Tears for the Witch
Erivo said she wept when she saw Wicked: For Good with her fellow castmates. While it was the third time she’d seen the finished film, it was on this occasion where “I think it was the first time it all sort of hit me,” Erivo said. “I was so proud of it because it was a real journey to get to this particular point.”
Richard Gere on Tap
Richard Gere took three months of tap-dancing lessons to prepare for his tap-dancing scene in the 2002 musical Chicago.
Nothing But a (Musical) Number
John Travolta was 23 and Olivia Newton-John was 28 when they played lovestruck teenagers in 1978’s Grease.
More Popular Than Ever
Grande says that, despite the fact that Glinda receives love and adulation from the public in Wicked: For Good, her character has “never felt more isolated.”
No Homework for the Coens
The Coen Brothers’ 2000 musical comedy film O Brother, Where Art Thou? Was loosely based on Homer’s The Odyssey, yet both Coen Brothers insist they never read the book.
‘Wicked’ vs. ‘Wicked: For Good’
When comparing Wicked: For Good to Wicked, Erivo said “I think it is a very different beast to the first movie. They’re in a very different space now, these two women. They have experienced life. They have dealt with the consequences of their decisions from the first movie and now they have to sort of see that through.”
At the End of the Rainbow
The opening scene of The Muppet Movie, where Kermit the Frog sings “Rainbow Connection,” was accomplished by having Jim Henson in an underwater tank while he controlled Kermit.
No More Defying Gravity
Erivo said that one of the things she will miss most about the Wicked films is the flying wire work. She said, “Swing me across the room, I love it. I love it so much. I love it. It’s the most painful thing in the world but I absolutely love it… It’s truly exhilarating.”
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Despite the fact that the Wicked story concludes with Wicked: For Good, Grande hinted at a possible re-teaming of her and Erivo in the future, saying “If we’ve learned anything from Cher, there will always be another farewell tour.”