Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reveal ‘Wicked: For Good’ trailer at CinemaCon with “Our wizard lies” twist

The next chapter of Wicked is here or at least a sneak peek of it. At CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo gave audiences the first glimpse of Wicked: For Good, the sequel to last year’s blockbuster hit. This time, the story picks up after the dramatic events at Shiz University, focusing on the two witches as their lives move in very different directions.

This exclusive trailer was presented by Grande, Erivo, director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt. Unlike last year’s introduction, when the stars arrived in bright green and pink, nodding to their characters, this time they wore all black, signalling a darker tone ahead.

Set after Elphaba is labelled a threat by the Wizard and Madame Morrible, played by Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh, the sequel explores her life in hiding as she grows stronger in her powers. In contrast, Glinda is navigating her rise as the face of good, though not without inner conflict.

The trailer, which hasn’t been made public yet, sparked strong reactions from the crowd. In one clip, Glinda adjusts her tiara inside the Wizard’s castle and whispers, “Elphaba, I know you’re out there.” Meanwhile, Elphaba, in her new fortress, studies a magical book and takes control of the skies, spelling out “Our Wizard Lies” across the clouds.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in WickedInstagram/WickedMovie

Glimpses of Glinda’s wedding to Fiyero, Elphaba’s defiance, and familiar Oz characters, Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion were included. The trailer closes with Elphaba summoning her broom and declaring, “I’m off to see the wizard,” a twist on Dorothy’s line.

Although there was no live performance at the event, two key songs, “For Good” and “No Good Deed” were featured in the preview. Composer Stephen Schwartz has also added two new tracks, one each for Elphaba and Glinda.

The film, due out November 21, builds on the first Wicked film’s success. That movie earned over £590 million (₹6,130 crore) globally and picked up 10 Oscar nominations, including nods for both Grande and Erivo.

A storm is coming — the witches return in Wicked: For GoodInstagram/WickedMovie

While the visuals promise grandeur, at its core, Wicked: For Good is about the complicated friendship between two very different women torn apart by politics, magic and power, but still connected by a deep emotional bond.