Wicked 3? PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive Teases Ariana Grande’s Franchise May Not Stop at Two

So, here is where the Wicked chatter is at: Jonathan Bailey is game for the possibilities, the latest movie is racking up big numbers, a reliable rumor account swears Universal is already kicking tires on a third film, and Stephen Schwartz is teasing a spin-off that probably will not involve Ariana Grande or Cynthia Erivo. Yes, it is a lot. Let me break it down.

Jonathan Bailey on whether a third Wicked movie could happen

In a new People interview, People’s Sexiest Man Alive himself, Jonathan Bailey, talked about jumping into the just-released Wicked: For Good and whether the door is open for another film after this two-parter wraps the stage show’s storyline. His answer was very much a shrug with optimism:

"I have no idea. I mean, the world is so incredible. Who knows? I mean, all the characters have potential…"

That 'potential' angle he is referring to ties back to the books, where the characters played by Bailey and Cynthia Erivo have kids in the expanded Oz lore. If the movies keep hitting, it is not crazy to think the studio might look at that thread.

So... is Wicked 3 a thing?

Here is where the rumor mill revs up. Wicked: For Good landed an unexpected opening day of $68.6 million and, in the process, broke yet another record. With that momentum, insider account @MyTimeToShineH claims Universal Pictures has already begun early internal moves on a new project being referred to (for now) as Wicked 3. The gist of the chatter: even though Wicked: For Good covers the rest of the musical, there are active talks about a possible third movie.

Director Jon M. Chu has previously kept it simple on this topic: in an Access Hollywood interview, he said a third movie would come down to reception and what fans actually want. Judging by how this latest entry is trending, you can see why those conversations would be happening.

Spin-off talk (and why Ariana and Cynthia might not be back)

Separate from all that, composer Stephen Schwartz told The Ankler that he and writer Winnie Holzman are kicking around a new project set in Oz that would not continue the two-part film’s Glinda/Elphaba story. Translation: if this happens, do not expect Ariana Grande or Cynthia Erivo to headline it.

"What I will tell you without giving away too much is that Winnie Holzman and I are doing some work right now on ideas that aren’t a sequel to Wicked, because I think the Glinda and Elphaba story feels complete — but there are other aspects that could be explored."

Quick reality check

One thing to flag: the naming and numbers flying around are a little messy. The latest movie is being referred to as Wicked: For Good (which would suggest it wraps the stage musical), yet there is also an opening day figure of $68.6 million and a current box office total of $74.9 million being cited at the same time. That is... a tight spread. Point is, some details are still shaking out, and none of the third-movie talk is official until Universal says so.

What we know right now

• Jonathan Bailey, currently People’s Sexiest Man Alive, told People he has no idea about a third movie but thinks Oz is rich with possibilities; in the source novels, his and Cynthia Erivo’s characters have children.
• Wicked: For Good posted a $68.6 million opening day and reportedly broke another record.
• Insider account @MyTimeToShineH says Universal has begun internal discussions on a new project dubbed Wicked 3, despite Wicked: For Good covering the remainder of the stage musical.
• Director Jon M. Chu previously said a third film would depend on audience reception and demand.
• Stephen Schwartz told The Ankler that he and Winnie Holzman are developing ideas for an Oz-set project that is not a direct sequel, suggesting Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo would likely not return for that.
• Wicked: For Good details: Director Jon M. Chu; cast includes Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, and Jeff Goldblum.
• Rotten Tomatoes scores currently sit at 70% (critics) and 95% (audience).
• Box office sits at $74.9 million.
• Wicked is now streaming on Prime Video (US).

If Universal does push ahead, would you rather see a full-on Wicked 3 with the same leads, or a fresh Oz story that goes somewhere new?