Ariana Grande-Butera has shared her thoughts on the divisive title of the movie musical sequel Wicked: For Good will adapt the second half of the iconic Broadway musical prequel to The Wizard of Oz, directly following the events of 2024's Wicked: Part One. The sequel's official title was not announced until December 16. The For Good subtitle, which references a key song from Act 2, was criticized on social media for a variety of reasons, including the fact that it doesn't match the naming convention of Part One.

Grande-Butera recently spoke with Variety at the Golden Globes First-Time Nominees luncheon, where she was being celebrated for her nomination for her performance as Galinda (later Glinda the Good Witch) in Wicked: Part One. While discussing the title of the movie, she revealed that the cast knew it would probably be called Wicked: For Good before they began filming, as the title was "printed on our original scripts."

She reflected that they became "rather attached" to the title and that she thinks it is a solid choice because it fits her feelings about the movie. Referencing the lyrics of the song, she shared that "this project really has changed us for good." Read Grande-Butera's full quote below:

We had [‘For Good’] printed on our original scripts, the hard copies that we were originally given. We were floating around different ideas, but the scripts were printed with it since day one. I’m glad it’s official now because we grew rather attached to it. It’s just the perfect title because this project really has changed us for good.

What This Means For Wicked: For Good

The Path Is Paved For The Franchise's Future

Although Grande-Butera’s comments indicate that the title was not necessarily set in stone at the time of filming, the idea of the title Wicked: For Good has been in the conversation for quite some time. However, she does not give an indication as to why the title of Part One wasn’t retrofitted to include a matching subtitle referencing another iconic song, such as the showstopping Act 1 closer “Defying Gravity.” Regardless, the fact that the official title has been considered since the beginning may offer some key insights into the overall franchise.

It was announced that Wicked would be split into two movies on April 26, 2022, several months before principal photography began.

While using the subtitle Part Two does not necessarily limit the production of future installments, using the subtitle For Good separates the movie from the idea of a two-act Broadway musical structure even further. This may indicate that the filmmakers are hopeful that the two Wicked movies will not be the end of the new smash hit franchise. This is in keeping with previous comments made by the stage show's co-writers Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, who have already indicated their interest in exploring more elements of the universe.

Our Take On Ariana Grande-Butera's Wicked: For Good Comments

Wicked's Future Could Rely On Other Characters

While the title Wicked: For Good may resonate with the cast, it also leaves the door open for future installments that would not have to be limited to being direct sequels with titles such as Part Three and so on. Potential future installments could feature other subtitles that indicate focuses on specific characters or regions. This would be in keeping with the original novel series by Gregory Maguire, who penned follow-ups focusing on the stories of The Cowardly Lion and Elphaba's son Liir.

While the musical is a loose adaptation of the original novel, which features much darker themes, it is possible that future adaptations could take on the basic shape of any of Maguire's follow-up novels. Should that be the case, Glinda will be a much more prominent character than Elphaba in any future movies, considering where the ending of Wicked: For Good will likely leave the two of them both geographically and in their relative social positions in the land of Oz. Given Grande-Butera's comments, it seems possible that she may be willing to reprise the role should the opportunity arise.

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Learn more about the Wicked cast here, which also includes Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Ethan Slater as Boq, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard of Oz. Many of these characters have futures in the Wizard of Oz universe, including becoming the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Wicked Witch of the East.

Readers can also learn more about the Wicked: For Good story. Although the movie is not due for another year, it seems highly likely that it will be a faithful adaptation of the musical, which has been running on stages around the world for more than 20 years. While certain details of the storyline and the characters may be changed, the general shape of the ending and the events leading up to it will likely remain the same.

Story details from Wicked: For Good may include the reveal of the true identity of Elphaba's father. While his identity was heavily implied by the opening sequence of Part One, it was not explicitly revealed over the course of the 2024 movie.

Source: Variety