Wicked: For Good | Part 2's FINAL TRAILER Breakdown
“Harping on the Past” (a.k.a. “Part One”)
Of course, to no one’s surprise, there will be a fair few callbacks to “Part One” in this movie, so naturally, we’re already getting a taste of them in the trailer. For starters, notice how Glinda’s celebrations and even her dress at one point stick to a pink-and-green color scheme? “Pink goes good with green.” We also see her become acquainted with her new mode of transportation. Then there are the two giant posters that get unfurled: one for Glinda the Good and one for the Wicked Witch of the West. Beyond the labels, it’s a reminder of the choices they made at the end of Part One and how they led to these titles being placed upon them.
You may have also spotted the banner celebrating the opening of the Yellow Brick Road. Now, if you cast your mind back to “Part One,” you’ll recall that the Wizard has a hard time choosing what color would best suit this road that runs throughout Oz. Glinda is the one to settle on Yellow. Well, we guess now’s a better time than ever to celebrate its grand reveal. It doesn’t seem to be the only change Glinda’s made in Oz, either. That green train that once took her and Elphaba to the Emerald City has now seemingly been Glindified.
We also get moments that seem to directly mirror “Part One.” Take that shot of Elphaba adjusting her hair, we’ve definitely seen that before. Also, let’s take a closer look at some of the choreography. There’s a shot that seems to call back to a certain routine that blew up as a viral dance trend last year. But what we really want to know is how Glinda now fits into “Wonderful.” Maybe this scene marks another crossroads in her friendship with Elphaba. The last time we saw them dance like this was at the Ozdust Ballroom, when their friendship first began. Here, it feels like a joyful reunion, with the two of them dancing together alongside the Wizard, almost like a snapshot of life before that “One Short Day” changed everything. Of course, as fans know, that joy is short-lived.
Storyline & Key Plot Points
Okay, let’s get into some of the plot points teased in the trailer. Much like Act Two, we open on “Thank Goodness.” We see Glinda’s celebration, but also a little more background on how she rose to this role and the perks that come with it. Fiyero is present, though the trailer leaves out that this is also his surprise engagement party. Still, we catch early signs that Glinda senses his heart isn’t truly hers.
Unlike the previous trailer, this time we get to see a glimpse of Nessa, who has now become the new governor of Munchkinland and rules with an iron fist, earning her the nickname, The Wicked Witch of the East. We already know this scene is likely to play out differently than the stage version, as the original narrative has been deemed incredibly ableist. Moreover, suddenly being able to walk does not improve her life, so we’re expecting some twist that returns the power to Nessarose. The trailer plays somewhat coy about the other huge moment that happens during this number, but it does introduce us to the Tin Man; that’s all we’re going to say for now.
We also see Elphaba return to the Wizard’s palace. In the show, she returns to free the Animals. Indeed, we do see her walk through rows of caged Animals; we even think we spotted that lynx Doctor Dillamond mentioned in “Part One.” Speaking of Doctor Dillamond, this shot seems to hint at his return without outright showing us how he and Elphaba reunite. Although it’s a pretty big moment, as you’ll know if you’ve seen the show, and one that cuts abruptly into “Wonderful.” Have we mentioned that Glinda is apparently in that now?
We only mention it again because, in several of the previous trailers, we’ve been surprised to see them include what looks like a wedding. Now, again, if you’ve seen the show, you’ll know that Glinda and Fiyero’s relationship never gets past the engagement. Fiyero leaves Glinda for Elphaba, and in her rage and grief, Glinda helps conspire against Elphaba, which prompts “a change in the weather.” However, before we get there, we just want to say one more thing about the wedding scene. So, director Jon. M. Chu essentially confirmed that the wedding was included because it raises the stakes between Elphaba and Glinda. Now, and just hear us out… You know, there’s that moment in the trailer where they try to come up with a plan? It looks like they’re having that conversation in the palace, which is certainly risky, but we digress. Anyway, what if that stampede of Animals through the wedding was the plan? Glinda let Elphaba sabotage her wedding for a good cause, and Fiyero still leaves her. Come on, can the stakes get any higher than that? Of course, again, this is just us theorizing, so who knows!
We honestly cannot wait to see what they’ve done with “As Long as You’re Mine,” but we also see the moment they’re interrupted by the tornado that brings Dorothy crashing down into Oz. The next time the two former friends meet is at the scene of the crime after Glinda’s sent Dorothy on her merry way. If you’ve seen the show, you’ll know how iconic that scene is. In fact, it’s so iconic that it already got a nod back in “Part One.”
We also get glimpses of “No Good Deed,” perhaps most notably through a close-up of the Grimmerie, not to mention they really build up to that finale both through the mob closing in and a shot that seems to veer into book territory.
Now, you probably recall back in the first look for “Part One” and even in subsequent trailers, we’ve seen images that we’re yet to see in the movie. Some showed up as deleted scenes, but we have reason to believe that some of those moments are yet to come, perhaps in a flashback sequence. There’s a shot of Elphaba’s boots being taken out of a cupboard, and while we’ve seen those boots before, given how they seem to now be in Glinda’s closet, we still need some explanation over how they got there. Perhaps from that time, they all frolicked in the poppy field? However, we do wonder if perhaps “For Good” will be the song to take us down memory lane?
Perhaps most surprisingly, the show doesn’t shy away from revealing its ending. Anyone who’s seen the “Wizard of Oz” knows what technically happens, but this is “Wicked” and nothing is ever exactly as it seems. In case you don’t know what we’re talking about, we won’t say anymore on that right now.
“We’re Off to See the Wizard” & Other Nods
It’s already been confirmed that Dorothy will be more of a presence than a character in the movie. Still, there are plenty of “Wizard of Oz” throwbacks to spot. About ten seconds in, Glinda poses with a group of young girls who are definitely giving Lullaby League. The way Elphaba crashes the party also mirrors how the Wicked Witch of the West interrupts Dorothy and friends in “The Merry Old Land of Oz.” Then there’s the tornado that brings Dorothy to Oz, and the house that gets brutally repurposed into anti-Wicked Witch propaganda. And if you look closely at that bucket, its purpose is literally printed across the side. As if any of us could forget what happened to the witch!
Fans of the stage show get their nods, too, like Elphaba’s shadow on the wall, followed by Glinda tearfully clutching her hat. In Nessarose’s brief shot, her shoes glow red, mirroring the moment after Elphaba enchants them in the show. We also meet the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, and we can’t wait to see how the film expands on their alliance with Dorothy. And one last easter egg, not from the show, but still for the fans, we’re pretty sure that’s the film’s choreographer, Christopher Scott, among the photographers.
Musical Moments
“We couldn’t be happier” that this trailer finally dropped, and really, what better lyric to open with? Still, while we hear Glinda sing that she “couldn’t be happier,” her face seems to suggest otherwise. Still, you can’t say that this trailer doesn’t start by “celebrating the Glinda way” and “Thank Goodness” it does!
There’s also that unfamiliar riff that we mentioned in our last trailer breakdown. Now, could this be as close as we’re going to get to a preview of Elphaba’s new song “No Place Like Home,” or is this Cynthia Erivo’s spin on “No Good Deed?” It seems highly likely it’s from the latter since it echoes throughout much of the trailer.
But it’s not just music you should be listening out for; there are plenty of visual cues to pick up on, too. A few shots seem to come from “Wonderful,” though clearly reimagined from the stage version. We guess Glinda doesn’t just want to be good, she wants to be “Wonderful” too. There’s even a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment of Elphaba and Fiyero, which we can only imagine belongs to “As Long As You’re Mine.” Chu has promised that the scene will hit harder than ever, saying, “You finally get to feel the ascension that they give each other through the relationship,” which honestly could caption this shot too. Meanwhile, that mob screams “March of the Witch Hunters.”
Fans also rejoicified at the confirmation that “The Wicked Witch of the East” will finally be released on the film’s soundtrack. The number carries so much plot that it was cut from the OBC album. However, the trailer hasn’t shied away from nodding to it.
And of course, no trailer for “Wicked: For Good” would be complete without, well, “For Good.” We see Elphaba and Glinda floating in a pink glow on a broom held up like a swing. Could it be a new take on the song, or even “The Girl in the Bubble,” which precedes it? Either way, whatever expectations we had for this song or any of the others will probably be rewritten at the theater doors. Honestly, though, just hearing Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande singing together has us obsessulated, and we’re fully prepared to weep buckets when we get to watch this number in full.
How excited are you for “Wicked: For Good?” Let us know in the comments
