Wicked Fans Stunned: For Good Now Runs Shorter Than Ariana Grande’s Part 1
Universal has revealed the official runtime for Wicked: For Good — and it’s shorter than Part One. Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the sequel pits Glinda and Elphaba against a rising mob and soars into theaters November 21, 2025.
Quick update for the Ozians among us: Wicked: For Good now has a runtime, and yes, it is shorter than Part 1. Here is what that actually means and who is back for the big finish.
Runtime and release
Per AMC Theaters, Wicked: For Good runs 138 minutes — about 2 hours and 18 minutes. That is 22 minutes shorter than 2024's Wicked: Part 1 (which clocked in at 2 hours and 40 minutes). Not mad about losing 22 minutes if the story still sings.
The sequel is still set to hit theaters on November 21, 2025.
What this chapter is about
The setup this time: an angry mob turns on Elphaba, which forces her and Glinda to reunite for one last push. Their friendship becomes the hinge the whole story swings on — they have to actually see each other clearly, with some honesty and empathy, if they want to change themselves and all of Oz, for good. You can hear the show-stopper baked right into that premise.
Who is making it (and who is back)
Jon M. Chu is directing again, with the screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. Cynthia Erivo returns as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, and the supporting lineup is basically the all-star Oz bench:
- Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar
- Ethan Slater as Boq, the Woodsman
- Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
- Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
- Jeff Goldblum as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The vibe this time
Jonathan Bailey has been teasing a tonal shift for a while now, and he put it pretty plainly:
"The world gets heavier and more complicated."
So expect a darker, more intense second half to the story — which makes sense given where Part 1 left things. Inside baseball note: that lines up with how the stage musical leans in its back half too.
Where Part 1 landed
For context, the first installment sits at 88% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from 402 reviews. It also scored 10 Oscar nominations and took home two wins, including Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. Not a bad runway for the finale.