We are now just two days out from Wicked: For Good being released in cinemas. As anticipation reaches boiling point, the first batch of reviews have been released from critics who have already had a chance to see the movie.
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Now that the first 105 reviews are in, as of Wednesday 19th November, the film is currently sitting at 72 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The first film achieved a score of 88 per cent, meaning that, while more reviews are still skewing positive than those that are skewing negative, there appears to be more critics who had a negative opinion of Wicked: For Good compared to Wicked.
It should be noted that the first Wicked film has 403 reviews logged on the site, so the sequel's rating could still shift dramatically in either direction as more reviews come in.
Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good Universal
RadioTimes.com gave the film four stars in our review, which poses that, while director Jon M Chu "doesn’t quite generate the same emotional heft as the previous film", For Good will still "surely satisfy Wicked’s extensive army of devotees".
Elsewhere, Empire's review states that "all the characters are much less cheerful than they were last time around, and as a result it’s less enjoyable for us to watch", while The Independent calls it an "aimless slog of a sequel".
In contrast, the BBC has called For Good "more captivating" than its predecessor, and Variety says that it "fixes flaws in the Broadway show’s second act".
In terms of what viewers can expect from the story, Chu recently explained that, despite the new film's events overlapping somewhat with those presented in The Wizard of Oz, it "is still Elphaba and Glinda’s journey", meaning audiences won't actually see Dorothy's face in the new movie.
He told People: "I didn’t want to step on who you think Dorothy is in whatever story that you came into this with. She is a pawn in the middle of all of it."
Wicked: For Good is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on 21st November 2025.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
