• The “Wicked” movie, which hits theaters Friday, covers only part of the original musical’s plot.

• The first film of the Broadway show is not clearly marketed as a two-part franchise.

• Here’s what we know about the sequel scheduled for 2025, including cast and possible plot.

The film debut of “Wicked” is as long as the Broadway original, but only covers half of the show’s plot. A second film will be released in November 2025 to complete the story.

The director of ‘Wicked’ and its sequel, Jon M. Chu, announced in April 2022 that the film adaptation would be split into two films released in 2024 and 2025.

It remains true even with Universal marketing the film as “Wicked” instead of “Wicked Part One.” Warner Bros., the studio behind the release, also used this tactic on blockbusters “Dune” and “It.”

“Wicked” the musical is the second highest-grossing Broadway show ever. The musical’s plot follows the origin story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, a character from “The Wizard of Oz.”

The film version stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Eviro and Michelle Yeoh. “Wicked” will compete with another double-hitter “Gladiator 2” for the top box office spot this Friday.

Although recent theatrical adaptations of stage musicals like Steven Spielberg’s “Cats” and “West Side Story” have failed to achieve box office success, “Wicked” is poised to join the billion-dollar club. Deadline predicted an opening of more than $80 million and higher first-day ticket sales than Inside Out 2, which generated more than $1 billion in ticket sales in 2024.

Marc Platt, who produced the “Wicked” film and stage production, said he initially planned for the story to become a film, but changed his mind after speaking with Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics for the musical composed.

“I waited a very long time to make the film,” Platt said at the film’s premiere in London, attended by Business Insider. Now fans will have to wait even longer, until November 21, 2025, for the second part of ‘Wicked’.

Both parts of ‘Wicked’ were filmed together

The cast, director and crew all have shared reasons for splitting “Wicked” into two films.

Both Chu and Platt have said in interviews that they did not want to cram or cut songs or characters to fit the story into one film.

Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba, told Entertainment Weekly in February that the split allowed more room to develop her character’s friendship and rivalry with Glinda the Good Witch, played by Grande.

A fan newsletter “The Schwartz Scene” reported that composer Schwartz said there should be an intermission after “Defying Gravity”, the last song in the musical’s first act.

“We found it very difficult to get past ‘Defying Gravity’ without a break,” he said. “That song was written specifically to bring down a curtain, and whatever scene followed without a break just seemed like a huge anticlimax.”

This comment indicates that the first film will likely end with Act One.

Both parts of “Wicked” were shot simultaneously and all the stars from the first film return in the sequel. This also makes it unlikely that the sequel could be delayed due to production issues and should be released on schedule next November.

“Wicked Part Two” will likely cover the second act of the Broadway musical

Spoilers for ‘Wicked,’ the Broadway musical.

The first act established the characters of Elphaba and Glinda during their time at Shiz University, a magical school in the world of Oz, where the musical is set. It also begins to hint at the dark side of Oz.

The second act takes place a few years after the first. In this act, the story ties into the plot of “The Wizard of Oz,” which viewers may be more familiar with from the 1939 film.

Elphaba has become the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda and Madame Morrible, a headmistress of Shiz, are part of the wizard’s administration, and Fiyero, the musical’s romantic lead, heads a hunting crew for Elphaba.

Elphaba’s younger sister, Nessa, has become a cruel governor of Munchkinland and has earned the title of the Wicked Witch of the East.

Elphaba tries to do good for the animals and people of Oz, but her magic and actions continue to harm those she loves.

When her sister is crushed and killed by Dorothy’s house, she vows to become truly evil. This confirms her character as the witch depicted in the book and movie “The Wizard of Oz”.

There are no new characters in Act Two, except Dorothy, who is not normally played by an onstage character. No casting announcement has been made suggesting that Dorothy will have a larger role in the second film.

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