Wicked: For Good Rotten Tomatoes Scores Unveiled

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Following the huge success of the 2024 film, which earned an impressive 10 Academy Award nominations, everyone was eagerly awaiting the sequel. Now, as the second film is about to be released in theaters, the first reviews are starting to appear.

Director Jon M. Chu took on the challenge of bringing the beloved Broadway musical Wicked to the big screen, choosing to tell the story in two parts. The first film came out in November 2024, and the second, originally called Wicked: Part Two, was planned for release a year later. However, Wicked: For Good, released on November 21st, received mixed reviews from critics. While reviewers weren’t impressed, audiences overwhelmingly loved it, giving it a near-perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The 2024 film Wicked was a huge success, becoming the highest-grossing original movie of the year – meaning it wasn’t part of an existing franchise. It was a major win for Universal Pictures, and before its November 22nd release, it received overwhelmingly positive reactions, with a 99% audience score on Popcornmeter and a 92% approval rating from critics.

Despite strong expectations, the new movie Wicked: For Good didn’t quite achieve a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It currently has a 74% approval score based on 87 reviews, just below the 75% needed for certification. However, audiences seem to love it, with a 97% approval rating from over 2,500 reviews on the site’s Popcornmeter.

David Rooney of ‘s review highlighted ‘s performance, saying she brings so much emotion to the role that it makes the character – and the entire film – more relatable and meaningful. While acknowledging that most of the best songs appear early on, the review ultimately found that the strong character development, engaging story, and beautiful visuals in Wicked: For Good more than make up for it.

As Alex Harrison pointed out, if you loved the musical Wicked, you’ll likely feel the same way about For Good. He says the excitement you felt while watching Wicked immediately returns as soon as the first song begins.

Caralynn Matassa praised For Good, highlighting its quicker pace and increased drama in the second half as it builds to the well-known ending. While she commended the lead actors’ performances, she criticized the lack of chemistry between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana DeBose, as well as the musical numbers themselves.

Several critics have questioned the need for the two-part movie adaptation of Wicked. Sophia Ciminello from AwardsWatch believes the film doesn’t justify being split into separate releases, despite strong performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Joey Magidson of Awards Radar agrees, stating the story feels unnecessarily divided and overly long. Brian Ordorf from Blu-ray.com also feels the entire story would have been better suited as one complete, epic film.

Audiences Couldn’t Get Enough of Wicked: For Good

While reviewers liked the film’s impressive visuals but thought it shouldn’t be divided into two parts, fans who’ve seen it feel differently. Because the movie hasn’t been widely released yet, only devoted fans have had a chance to see it early, and they absolutely loved it.

The second part of the production has been widely praised, with many calling it a masterpiece. One reviewer said it exceeded their expectations, especially for fans of the Broadway musical. Another described it as a masterful work, noting that almost everything was excellent, with only one scene feeling somewhat standard compared to the original.

The movie is expected to be a huge success in theaters. Fandango reports that pre-ticket sales for this sequel are the highest ever for a PG-rated film, surpassing those of Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Frozen 2 (2019). Experts predict it will earn around $110 million in the United States during its opening weekend.

Wicked: For Good premieres in theaters on Nov. 21.

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2025-11-18 23:12